The other day, in church, I looked over at my wife on my left, and saw a young hand draped on her right shoulder. It startled me for a second, even though I knew perfectly well that it was the hand of my ten-year old son, Matthew. I leaned forward to sneak another glance at them, and saw my son, sitting up straight as an arrow, his arm tucked lovingly over the shoulders of his mom.
My son will turn 11 in just a few weeks, and it seems like only a short while ago that he preferred to curl up in his chair and burrow into our sides during the sermon. (For the record, his incredible little mind pays full attention, and could probably summarize the pastor's lesson better than some adults in the room...). In fact, he still likes to cuddle and burrow, showing that he yet hovers on the cusp betwixt little boy and young man.
But this was the first time I had seen this. He looked so grown up. I was filled for pride for this young man, who went off to Maine for seven weeks this summer, and came back a blinkin' teenager. I was proud of all he had accomplished, and how he comported himself with dignity and grace so far from home, and how respectful he always is..... and that he still loves his mother and wants to put his arm around her.
He's a good kid. He really is.
And he needs to move his arm. Those shoulders belong to me, young man!
My son will turn 11 in just a few weeks, and it seems like only a short while ago that he preferred to curl up in his chair and burrow into our sides during the sermon. (For the record, his incredible little mind pays full attention, and could probably summarize the pastor's lesson better than some adults in the room...). In fact, he still likes to cuddle and burrow, showing that he yet hovers on the cusp betwixt little boy and young man.
But this was the first time I had seen this. He looked so grown up. I was filled for pride for this young man, who went off to Maine for seven weeks this summer, and came back a blinkin' teenager. I was proud of all he had accomplished, and how he comported himself with dignity and grace so far from home, and how respectful he always is..... and that he still loves his mother and wants to put his arm around her.
He's a good kid. He really is.
And he needs to move his arm. Those shoulders belong to me, young man!
