May 24, 2011 12:25 p.m.
It was a simple, and yet precious, question. I was replacing the bedspread on Sweet Girl’s bed when I happened to walk past Chips’ room. He was glancing up at the top shelf in his closet at a box he couldn’t reach without getting a chair from another room. Then he saw me.
“Can I have that?” he asked. “I need to get the batteries out of my electrical kit to try in this flashlight”.
“Sure, Little Son,” (which I still call him) and got down the box easily and gave it to him with a big hug as well.
It was such a short and simple question, but as I walked out of the room, it kind of hit me between the eyes. Chips is such a confident, capable, and independent boy; it seems like he always has been for whatever age he has been. Yet, he could still benefit today from my reaching up and easily retrieving a high box for him. He is still short enough to need me in this small and simple way.
A year or so from now, he might be towering over me in height. How many more times will I be able to retrieve something from a high shelf for him? I almost felt like shouting, “Hey, anytime you need anything stored up high like that, forget getting a chair. Just ask me!”
A sweet and simple moment.
How many more times?
Time is fleeting.
5 comments:
You're right to savour the moment. Tho I have to say that even when they tower over you they still need you, in slightly different but still heart-warming ways.
Yes it is sweet. It's funny, we want them to grow up, we rejoice in each new milestone, each achievement--but oh if we could only capture those precious moments and hold on to them forever!
Oh I get all weepy when those moments hit. Something happened the other day and it made me sit and reflect on the fact that my children are going to be grown and gone some day and I started to cry. *sigh*
Have a beautiful day.
Kim
Time sure does fly. My 6th grader is only 1/2" shorter than I am. Ryan towers over me by almost a foot. It's hard to realize that they're outgrowing us, yet we must instill independence in them to do our job correctly. So bittersweet!
my 15-y/o is 6" taller than i am and reaches things for me! however, he still needs me to drive him places. hubz has signed him up for driver's training at long last, and i am really not looking forward to this new step of independence. with the older two, i appreciated having another driver. the younger two? ehhhh, i'll just happily drive them around til they're thirty! or not. *sigh* *grin*