Every so often, a parent gets lucky enough to see the true heart of her child. It may come during a conversation about God, or after the death of a pet, or in this case, about a half hour after bedtime, when the world is dark and the house is still and the conscience of a boy has had a chance to go to work.
As I sat on the couch last night, curled up with the remote control and some peace and quiet, I had no idea what was brewing in the back room. And just as Comedy Central was about to deliver some much needed relief, I heard footsteps padding along the cold, tile floor. It was Cooper. He had somehow managed to work his way into the living room undetected by dad, and was standing directly in front of me with a heaving chest and a face full of tears.
What on earth? Don’t tell me he just got body slammed or that he peed the bed or that someone is suddenly scared of the dark? Lately, these two boys have had a million and one reasons not to go to bed when they’re told. But this time I was in for a shock.
“What’s the matter, kiddo?”
A weeping, wailing five year old stood at my feet to take his medicine. “Momma, I have to tell you something, but I don’t want to,” he bawled. I could see this was serious, so I turned off the TV and waited, my own heart pounding in my chest. “It’s ok, buddy. Tell me what happened.”
And so he began. “One time (sniff, sniff), when we were at a ballgame (sob, sob), there was a race car laying there…(dramatic pause)…and I took it home with me.” And the flood gates of repentance burst open.
Caught a little off guard, I sat and held him for a time. He continued to cry as I tried to piece this thing together with a few questions. “Was someone else playing with it? Did you see someone lay it down? Where was I when all of this happened?” And that’s when I realized, this child had found an abandoned toy on the bleachers at a baseball game and put it in his pocket. And he’s been worrying about it ever since.
His confession was told as if it had only happened yesterday, and the emotion behind it was no less raw. I tried to comfort him a bit, but also offered some knowledge which was apparent he did not have at the time. “OK, son, there’s this thing…called the Lost and Found…” I explained it all to him. He seemed to understand, but just as he started to breathe more easily, he looked up at me with those big, brown eyes and said, “So, Momma, did I steal?”
I knew in his heart of hearts, this must have been what was really eating at his conscience. But I had to tell him the truth. “I guess in a way it was stealing, Cooper, because it wasn’t your toy to take. But now you understand what to do when you find something, and you won’t ever have to make this mistake again.” After a few unrestrained, soul-cleansing sobs, his body finally relaxed.
“Have you been worrying about this ever since it happened?” I asked. Yes, he conceded with a nod.
“Don’t you feel so much better after telling me the truth?” He confirmed with more tears and the kind of hug a mother never forgets.
After the tension of the moment had diminished and his fear had somewhat subsided, we had a little conversation with God. We credited Him for our daily blessings. We apologized for our mistakes. And we thanked Him endlessly for the honesty and bravery of this little boy.
And as I carried my son to bed, I felt myself holding him a little closer, hugging him a little tighter, and sitting by his side a little longer, saying a prayer of my own, and treasuring the glimpse I’d just been given into the heart of my child.
And that’s All in a day’s work!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
I saw a legend
Today I saw a legend, his story already told. And the words on his Hall of Fame plaque read:
“Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. A fierce competitor and one of baseball’s most intimidating figures on the pitching mound for four decades. His overpowering fastball and unparalleled longevity produced 324 victories and a host of major league records. Lifetime benchmarks include 5,714 strikeouts, seven no-hitters, and 12 one-hitters in 27 seasons pitched; led league in strikeouts 11 times and fanned 300 batters in a season on six occasions, including a record 383 in 1973. Strikeout victims totaled 1,176 different players. A Texas legend whose widespread popularity extended far beyond his native state.”
Today I saw a legend, a man still writing his tale. I heard him deliver a speech, and his words were moving and motivational and thought provoking. He spoke of the impact of a coach on his players. Of living life like we deserve to win.
He spoke of the imaginary crystal ball. The one in which no coach, player or patron can look into for answers as to just who will be the one to get that third out. To strike out that last hitter. To punch in that winning run. He spoke of being prepared to be that man, on the field and off. He’s no Hall of Famer, no world championships to his credit. But today he was a legend. A simple man from Louisiana.
Today I saw a legend, a giant in their eyes. I watched him throwing grounders past living room coffee tables and tossing flies behind the couch. I’ve heard him reading books and telling stories and kissing his boys good night. I’ve watched him give piggy back rides when his body ached and play football when he was too tired to breathe. I’ve heard him sigh from exhaustion after a 14 hour day that wasn’t over until he’d played a couple more innings in the back yard. Every day he is a legend in the eyes of his boys.
Today I saw a legend, two stories yet to be told. Four innocent, brown eyes. Full of questions; full of dreams. Who knows what lies in store for these--what they shall accomplish, who they shall become. What will be written on their plaque? What will they see in their crystal ball?
Today I saw a legend, and I realized--the world is full of them, if we are looking.
And that’s All in a day’s work!
“Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. A fierce competitor and one of baseball’s most intimidating figures on the pitching mound for four decades. His overpowering fastball and unparalleled longevity produced 324 victories and a host of major league records. Lifetime benchmarks include 5,714 strikeouts, seven no-hitters, and 12 one-hitters in 27 seasons pitched; led league in strikeouts 11 times and fanned 300 batters in a season on six occasions, including a record 383 in 1973. Strikeout victims totaled 1,176 different players. A Texas legend whose widespread popularity extended far beyond his native state.”
Today I saw a legend, a man still writing his tale. I heard him deliver a speech, and his words were moving and motivational and thought provoking. He spoke of the impact of a coach on his players. Of living life like we deserve to win.
He spoke of the imaginary crystal ball. The one in which no coach, player or patron can look into for answers as to just who will be the one to get that third out. To strike out that last hitter. To punch in that winning run. He spoke of being prepared to be that man, on the field and off. He’s no Hall of Famer, no world championships to his credit. But today he was a legend. A simple man from Louisiana.
Today I saw a legend, a giant in their eyes. I watched him throwing grounders past living room coffee tables and tossing flies behind the couch. I’ve heard him reading books and telling stories and kissing his boys good night. I’ve watched him give piggy back rides when his body ached and play football when he was too tired to breathe. I’ve heard him sigh from exhaustion after a 14 hour day that wasn’t over until he’d played a couple more innings in the back yard. Every day he is a legend in the eyes of his boys.
Today I saw a legend, two stories yet to be told. Four innocent, brown eyes. Full of questions; full of dreams. Who knows what lies in store for these--what they shall accomplish, who they shall become. What will be written on their plaque? What will they see in their crystal ball?
Today I saw a legend, and I realized--the world is full of them, if we are looking.
And that’s All in a day’s work!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Well, I never!
Have you ever been watching a movie with your kids and realized they were about to say a distasteful word so you strategically erupted with a small coughing fit to cover it up? Well I never!
Have you ever secretly taken the batteries out of the most annoying of the noisy, Christmas toys and told the kids it was broken? No way.
Have you ever hidden the wrapper to a snack you shouldn’t have been eating because you didn’t want your kids to see what you’d never THINK of letting them have? Certainly not!
Have you ever saved your most dreaded household chore for the end of the day and then bribed one of your kids to do it for you? Unbelievable.
Have you ever looked in your wallet to discover you were totally out of cash so you raided your kid’s piggy bank just so you could have a Coke at the ballgame? What a disgrace!
Ever want to inquire as to whether your half-day Pre-K’er could be the first to enroll in the non-existent all day program? Surely not!
Ever get so tired of getting up at night to blow snotty noses that you just stuff a few Kleenex under their pillow and tell them if they run out to use their sheet? Unthinkable!
Ever so sick of having to look for winter coats that you designate the bottom of the closet as the appropriate place for keeping them? Tsk! Tsk!
Have you ever considered daily, mandatory, thirty minute walks on the treadmill to ensure the kids are tired enough to go to bed at night without a fight? Scandalous!
Have you ever been so brain dead the most creative meal you could think to prepare for your children was barbeque wienies and mac and cheese? They love it.
Have you ever been so determined to get rid of a cold that you overdid the dosage of Vitamin C, only to realize the side effects of doing so are much worse than wiping a wet nose? Disgusting.
Have you ever been the person who bought that special gift for five boys that you thought was the ultimate, super-cool camping toy only to find out that there was a whistle poking out the bottom of the secret chamber? I’m sorry. I really am.
Have you ever taken the gift you thought was the ultimate, super-cool camping toy and hidden it where there’s no chance that it will ever see daylight again? Smart thinking.
Have you ever been thoroughly excited to share a special event with your family, but when it was finally over you couldn’t wait to get back to the normalcy of life? Ahhh.
And that’s All in a day’s work!
Have you ever secretly taken the batteries out of the most annoying of the noisy, Christmas toys and told the kids it was broken? No way.
Have you ever hidden the wrapper to a snack you shouldn’t have been eating because you didn’t want your kids to see what you’d never THINK of letting them have? Certainly not!
Have you ever saved your most dreaded household chore for the end of the day and then bribed one of your kids to do it for you? Unbelievable.
Have you ever looked in your wallet to discover you were totally out of cash so you raided your kid’s piggy bank just so you could have a Coke at the ballgame? What a disgrace!
Ever want to inquire as to whether your half-day Pre-K’er could be the first to enroll in the non-existent all day program? Surely not!
Ever get so tired of getting up at night to blow snotty noses that you just stuff a few Kleenex under their pillow and tell them if they run out to use their sheet? Unthinkable!
Ever so sick of having to look for winter coats that you designate the bottom of the closet as the appropriate place for keeping them? Tsk! Tsk!
Have you ever considered daily, mandatory, thirty minute walks on the treadmill to ensure the kids are tired enough to go to bed at night without a fight? Scandalous!
Have you ever been so brain dead the most creative meal you could think to prepare for your children was barbeque wienies and mac and cheese? They love it.
Have you ever been so determined to get rid of a cold that you overdid the dosage of Vitamin C, only to realize the side effects of doing so are much worse than wiping a wet nose? Disgusting.
Have you ever been the person who bought that special gift for five boys that you thought was the ultimate, super-cool camping toy only to find out that there was a whistle poking out the bottom of the secret chamber? I’m sorry. I really am.
Have you ever taken the gift you thought was the ultimate, super-cool camping toy and hidden it where there’s no chance that it will ever see daylight again? Smart thinking.
Have you ever been thoroughly excited to share a special event with your family, but when it was finally over you couldn’t wait to get back to the normalcy of life? Ahhh.
And that’s All in a day’s work!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)