There was silence for a few seconds as the enormity of the moment sunk in. My husband could barely maintain his composure. The little ones words had melted the big one’s heart.
Between bites of hamburger helper and mini Fusilli, my son looked my husband in the eye and conveyed a genuine interest in how his father’s day was. Despite the toy-dumping incident earlier that evening or the struggle to wash hands before dinner, it was in the sitting, eating, breathing, sharing of an interaction, between two people – one big and one small – that made all the difference.
Words have a way of wedging themselves into eardrums and staying for a while. They grab at our soul and bring us closer to the truth. Words encourage. They sneak around the corner and lift our spirits like the bell of an ice cream truck on a warm summer day.
“Mama, you need help making the bed? I help you, okay?”
They pull us in. They fill us up.
“You sad Mama?” … “Why you sad?”
They make us stronger; especially when they are spoken with honesty and sincerity. Words ring out in our heads at the darkest of moments and make us realize we are more than ourselves.
I happened to be working late on hamburger helper night. I missed the exchange – the tender interaction between father and son – that proved how enlightening a conversation with a toddler can be.
In the retelling of the story, my husband marveled at how fast our two-year-old is growing up. Whether we taught him to inquire about others or not, he was learning the art of caring; the art of carrying on a conversation. We couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
Words make parents smile for reasons unknown to children until much later in life when they come face to face with one of their own in a booster seat.
Thinking about it all, taking it all in, I realize I will always have his words.
The: “Thank yous.” The: “Love yous.”
The: “Where’s my cookie monster?”
The: “I want Caillou.”
The one that pierces my heart and leaves me to bleed out nearly every time: “I sorry Mommy.”
Even the: “I did pee pee in my pants.”
The wandering mind of a two-year-old, articulated in the tiniest voice I hope to never forget.
“You sad Mama?” … “Why you sad?”
They make us stronger; especially when they are spoken with honesty and sincerity. Words ring out in our heads at the darkest of moments and make us realize we are more than ourselves.
I happened to be working late on hamburger helper night. I missed the exchange – the tender interaction between father and son – that proved how enlightening a conversation with a toddler can be.
In the retelling of the story, my husband marveled at how fast our two-year-old is growing up. Whether we taught him to inquire about others or not, he was learning the art of caring; the art of carrying on a conversation. We couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
Words make parents smile for reasons unknown to children until much later in life when they come face to face with one of their own in a booster seat.
Thinking about it all, taking it all in, I realize I will always have his words.
The: “Thank yous.” The: “Love yous.”
The: “Where’s my cookie monster?”
The: “I want Caillou.”
The one that pierces my heart and leaves me to bleed out nearly every time: “I sorry Mommy.”
Even the: “I did pee pee in my pants.”
The wandering mind of a two-year-old, articulated in the tiniest voice I hope to never forget.
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