Monday, October 15, 2012

Simple Giving

Logan is home for the weekend. It's been a couple of months. He's home to celebrate my parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary.

But the joy is mine.

"I found this," he says. "At the library's used book sale."

We're standing in the kitchen and he's fresh in the door. My eyes wander over him. He's thinner. His hair has grown. But he's solid. He looks good and he's strong.

He pushes the book into my hands and I'm surprised, again, that the hands that once folded into mine now belong to a man. I feel the weight of the old book. The cover is ruddy and loved and worn. It's John Steinbeck's short novels. One of my favorites. And he knows. We read together over the summer when the days weren't numbered and time wasn't short.

"There's this, too," he says. And he opens his hand.

There's a rose on his outstretched palm. It's red and gold and a gentle shade of brown. It's been created. Twisted. Rolled and turned and made lovely from autumn leaves.

My son smiles at me.

"It's beautiful," I say. And I try not to cry because things like this, these simple things, were almost lost last spring.

I take the rose and look at the boy and I could break from this easy love.

He gives me a hug. I know that these moments must last for months. And I know, too, that his friends are on the way and he'll be out the door again soon but this moment, this here and now, is mine.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you, too."

My son's come home to celebrate a precious family event.

But with simple gifts and kind, sweet love he's celebrated my heart, too.

4 comments:

  1. Loved this post! this is so sweet. My boys are always picking flowers (sometimes weeds) for me & I make sure to be as excited as possible about it. I want them to do it forever (and for their wives too).

    Kerry

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  2. This post gave me goosebumps. What a wonderful son you have raised. I am constantly nervous about how my boys will turn out - what kind of young men they will be. Right now they are at the stage where they are testing the waters with talking back and lots of "I don't wannas." But then, I see them help their baby brother or help a friend at school or talk politely to an adult, and I'm pretty sure they will turn out okay. :)

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  3. Thanks, Kerry. I totally understand. Wish those flower and weed bouqets could last forever (my friend bought me the sweetest vase for such things). So glad you mentioned the future wives of our young men. I had that thought, too, when Logan brought his gifts. Precious thing to think about...to pray for.

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  4. Thanks, Kathy. You know, I have those same concerns. We're right there, in the middle of it all, with the younger ones. Then from God's goodness comes those sweet golden nuggets - that love for brother or a friend or when those manners shine - praise the Lord for those! I'm so grateful!

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