5 Minutes Please

To Zachary, 3 1/2 years young

We nap together. You and I.
I awake before you. That’s a change.

This is nourishment.
To enjoy your presence
. . . quiet . . . still . . . safe . . . good . . .

At this moment you are . . . mine . . . all mine . . .

I take much pleasure and delight in you. I revel in you.

All of you.

You are my treasure.

Tender, irresistible lips
Truly a perfect nose
Peachy fuzz above your lips
Tiny hairs on your cheek
The rise and fall of your chest
Criss-crossed eyelashes

The hair from your head rests on your neck and rises, then falls,
as the blood surging through a main artery calls the hair to wave with it.

I want to touch you. But dare not, so as not to wake you.
I do not want this gift to end.

Finally I reach out and lie my hand upon yours.
The curve of your hand fitting snugly in the curve of mine.
You stay asleep.

For a little while, we are one as if back in my womb.
You are mine. Not even of your own. All mine.

And . . . I wish you love.

Early Sunday afternoon there was a knock upon my door. We have a “no solicitor” sign. But I am so glad that it was ignored.

Here were two high school students collecting food for a neighborhood food shelf. I know of the food shelf and I trusted these kids. Hunger is one of my top 4-5 causes. (I worked a year for the Delaware Food Bank).

My 3 /12 and 5 1/2 sons were with me at the door. I joyfully told the students that we can help.Then I explained to my sons what we were going to do and asked them to help me carry the food. At the moment, these two little boys totally understood what was happening! I told them that we would pick really yummy food–stuff that they would like to eat (not just a can or two of beans).

I told the students that they stopped at the right house–one of my causes! I thanked them profusely and encouraged them.

The students turned to leave and I to go back in the house. I found my boys in the cupboard collecting more food! I have to believe that they were doing this out of care and not simply because it was fun/funny. I will be sure to remind them of their act of kindness.

Two Footnotes:
1. My boys’ behavior was a blessing to me as we have been dealing with a lot of naughty behavior the past few weeks.
2. Our family recently read the book, Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler, by Margery Cuyler. Students learn about kindness and the teacher writes each act on a paper heart and tapes it to the wall. We are doing the same at home. Today was our first act of kindness to the community. (There should be more hearts on this wall, but they are little kids who are learning.)

Wall of Kindness