We've all heard the phrase "I've been blessed" and that can apply to many aspects of life. Whether it is material, emotional, or simply a special memory, being blessed often carries a lesson.
I say that because this weekend we went to the country (yes, again) and I was blessed.
Isabella has a 2-year old cousin named Gracie. She's a sweet, adorable girl who's already had quite a bit of turmoil in her life. Her parents are young and now divorced, fighting over her constantly. She just lost her "Aunt B" as she called Rebecca, who died of Cystic Fibrosis in April. She still talks to Aunt B whenever she's outside. She'll babble on and on, looking lovingly up to the heavens as she crosses the fields to her Granny's house during morning walks. Is there anything sweeter than that?!
Saturday when we arrived, Gracie came over to visit. As soon as she saw me, she wanted in my lap. Isabella would have NONE of that. She's now at the age of being possessive of what she deems is hers. Well, Gracie suddenly went from happy to a kind of desperation I've never seen in a child. She clung to me, she cried, and she looked so heartbroken that I was torn between comforting my own daughter or loving on this tiny little person who obviously needed attention.
The battle for my affection wasn't as heartwarming as you'd think. It nearly made me cry. Isabella was pushing Gracie away and Gracie was frantically trying to love on me. Heath finally just took screaming Isabella outside for a change of scenery and I held Gracie close. Her little hands clung to me and she wanted nothing to do with anyone else. She kept calling me "momma" and everyone corrected her that I was Bella's momma. So then she called me Bellamomma.
The next day, the SAME THING happened! As soon as she saw me, she reached up and cried for me to hold her, calling out "Bellamomma! Bellamomma!"
Needless to say, it was exhausting and weighed on my heart that a child would be in such desperate need of affection. Turns out her mother is too busy being young and carefree to spend much time with her daughter, much less to love on her.
So how am I blessed?
I am blessed because my mother has always shown her love for me. I'm blessed because my daughter has both parents who put her first and always will. I'm blessed because another child who needed love saw that I would give it to her.
I pray that God will reach Gracie's mother and relay to her that Gracie needs her. Love and hugs from family, friends and strangers is no match for a mother's love. But I will make it a point to give Gracie an extra special hug every time I see her.
If you see a child who needs that extra hug, I encourage you to give it. You never know just how much that may mean at that moment in their life.
4 comments:
Thanks for the chills...and great post!! :) Hope that you have a wonderful day! Bye
you are so right! when i was teaching, we would have about a million hugs a day, and we said "i love you" and blew kisses. other teachers thought i was too mushy with my kids. :(
but kids can NEVER have too much love. esp kids like Gracie, who lack love to begin with.
Exactly. Children just soak up love like an endless sponge. I will make an extra effort to show affection for all children, regardless of how loved or not loved they are. :)
the sad part is that they get to high school, and touching is not a good thing... but there are still those that need hugs, and as a human, and now a mom, I can see that for what it is, and I am careful about how I hug, but they still need that love and attention.
Thanks for the great post! :)
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