Gentle on My Mind

With the new addition to the family, we knew it was going to be interesting to see how Eilidh and Eoin would behave around the new baby. And it has turned out that Eoin is especially fun to observe as he interacts with his little sister. It has been pleasantly surprising to notice just how especially gentle he is with Maire for being such a boyish toddler. He doesn't speak much but he sure says alot when he comforts her with a smile and pats her on her tummy, and he always reminds us that he needs to give her a goodnight kiss before going to bed. While my most fervent prayer for him is not that he would grow up to be Mr. Sensitive, I do quite often pray that he will grow up to have the strength and wisdom to control his strength.

Last night, I came home well after the kids' bedtime. I walked in the door only to hear Eilidh in her room, crying in bed. As I opened her bedroom door, I thought, likely to scold her for disobedience, she asked me to lie down and talk with her. I did and we talked about Momma and Eoin and Maire. Then we talked about Papa and Gramma and the other Papa and Gramma. We went on talking about the stars outside her window and Homer the dog and Ferris the cat. When she asked me where the cat is, I told her that he isn't coming back. She asked about the bright red star outside her window and began to cry again because, apparently, her fan was blowing on her toes. I took her out into the living room for her to settle down a bit.

As we sat down together on the couch in the living room, I asked her if she had ever dunked cookies in milk. She gave me a look like I was being silly or something. Momma soon brought four cookies, two for each of us and a cup of milk. Even with as little experience and practice as I have had, I successfully taught my own daughter how to dunk her cookies. She quickly resumed her meandering conversation and wandered into asking about the cat again. She asked about where he is and where he went until she asked, "Is he dead?" And, of course, "Yes, he is, honey."

It wasn't necessary that I tell her how or why the cat died, but it was necessary that I know and care for her enough to know how guide her understanding. She doesn't really care about the cat and, well, neither did I. But she knows I and her Father in Heaven certainly do know her and care for her.

JD

posted by Jonathan Daugherty 11:36 PM