11 December 2011
My 9 year old son, Jordan, has been difficult to parent lately. Tempers, attitudes, pushing every boundary possible. Very frustrating but always an opportunity for growth and to demonstrate love.
Today, we enjoyed a "Night Before Christmas" candlelight Main Street event in our home town of Waynesville, NC. The kids wanted to check out a nostalgic and local toy store. After browsing for 10 minutes or so, my daughter, wife and I are done with the crowd, and decide to wait outside for Jordan who was still browsing. We wait, and wait, and wait some more. Finally, I decide to go in and check on him because he's taking an unusual amount of time alone in the store. As I enter, I experience that one moment that any frustrated parent longs for. A moment of hope. An act of love on the part of our child. What I saw almost brought tears to my eyes. I saw Jordan standing in line, waiting to check out with a pair of purple hand knit gloves for a little girl. A gift for his sister. I asked him if he was OK and if he had enough for the purchase, and he showed me his own crumpled up bills that he had carefully counted to ensure that he had enough to cover the price of the gloves. Beautiful. An incredible heart warming gift for me too, and a reminder that my difficult 9 year old still has a tender, soft heart that knows how to love.
A Gift of Love • Opuss № I