My 14 year old son seized the opportunity of a fogged bathroom mirror to leave me a love note. Was I overjoyed? Did the sight bring tears to my eyes? Was my heart moved? Not exactly. My response was something like this: "If you really love me, you wouldn't create more work for me by writing on the mirror." Of course, I softened it with "That was sweet. I love you, too; but..."
I just stepped out of the shower, and saw his message again, this morning. And, I was moved. I was also convicted. I thought of the mothers whose children preceded them in death, and how those words smeared onto the mirror would be a treasure to them. Why do we wait until we have lost something to realize how precious it is to us?! Why would a perfectly smudge-free mirror be more important to me than an expression of endearment from a teen-aged son? It is not!
I won't be in a hurry to clear and clean that mirror any time soon. I cherish those words. I cherish that boy's heart of love.
I love you, too, Micah. No "but"s about it!
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I just left a long comment and then somehow erased it. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteMy point was: Micah is so sweet and you are so wise. I am up against writing on steam covered windows daily and have decided it wasn't worth the fight and that I'd rather them remember the fun they had together writing on windows then that they were able to see oh so clearly out of them.
I think what helped break me of my freak outs over the windows/sliding glass doors was giving them window markers and paint and letting them make big 'ol masterpieces. There is no chore bigger than cleaning down glass doors after a playtime like that and I liked their art so I left it a long while. Plus, even if I cleaned the windows today, one of them would be licking them tomorrow or something so why bother? :)
Just read this, brought tears to my eyes. :)
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