Tonight, my 4 year old son accompanied me to the grocery store to buy roses for my wife. While we were in the self check out line, a little girl (a year or two older than my son) shouted 'Jack!' and came over and gave my son a hug. I said, 'Where do you know her from, Jackie?' and he told me that she rode his bus. Then he said, 'Can I give her one of those flowers?' I laughed and said, 'Sure', working one of the roses out of the bouquet. I handed it to him, and he ran over to the other self check out lane where the little girl and her mom were and gave it to her. She sheepishly said 'thank you', and the little girl's mom and the woman who was overseeing the self-check out line simultaneously melted. 'Sooo sweet.' The grocery clerk said.
I'm not sure my son completely understood how awesome what he just did was, but he seemed happy with it. 'She's my girlfriend now.' he said as I buckled him into his car seat.
It was just one of those countless little things that my kids do from time to time that shocks me into the awareness that they are approaching adulthood at a rapid pace, and that the days of playing with Legos on the carpet of my bedroom with them are numbered. Pretty soon there will be sleepovers with friends, followed by facial hair and rock concerts, followed by minimum wage jobs and driver's permits.
Jesus Christ. I need to pay attention.
It's funny how Paul Simon seems to fit into all of the important moments of my life.
ReplyDeleteBlessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!....Lydia Maria Child
ReplyDeleteThanks, Willie. That's a nice quote.
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