Caden's Hands

This week Caden has been struggling with a cold. He was having trouble sleeping today so I had the wonderful pleasure of rocking him for a long, long time until he was ready to sleep. We sat there in the dark of his room, him clutching his "blankie" with one hand, and caressing my hair with the other, his slow, even breaths a little raspy from his cold. It was a moment I'll never forget....Just a calmness and a sureness of each other.

Caden's hands. They are plump little things...dimpled, smooth and perfect. I've always been fascinated by his little dimples, but today as I looked at Cadens, I was overwhelmed with wonder, and a little sadness, to think of where those hands will travel. Today they are flawless little hands, unmarred by life's challenges and inexperienced in its joys. But where will those little hands go tomorrow, and the next day, and the next?...

Any day now those little hands are about to let go of mine as he takes his first step.

They will grasp a pencil as he clumsily learns to write.

They will surely get some scrapes and scratches just being "a boy."

They will grip handlebars with a mix of joy and fear as he attempts to ride on his own.

They will dig and play in the mud and build lots of fun sandcastles.

In his teenage years those hands may wipe away a few adolescent tears and possibly slam a few doors, but maybe, if I play my cards right, they will still reach out for mine every now and then.

They will pack his belongings as he leaves home, And they will open the front door again as he comes back to visit. A WHOLE LOT if he knows what's good for him. :)

I pray those precious hands spend more time spread open in joy, rather than clenched in anguish. But wherever the journey, I hope they're often clasped in prayer. I hope they are helpful hands, and I hope they always have many, many other hands to grab onto.