My son gave away his first kiss today...August 30th, 2009. For months now, I have shown him how to kiss, I kiss him often, and have asked for a kiss in return.....nothing, not even the correct sounding *smooch*. Oh, I should say, he's only 18 months old. But can definitely show affection when he wants - and so a hug or kiss should naturally follow for his mother.....well it certainly did follow - just not in the way expected.
Today, my HH and I sat on the couch, as we played with the baby, peek a boo and the like, when something caught his eye. I had a bracelet around my wrist...a basic silver chain with a heart charm on the clasp. He wiggled enough to get a closer look at the heart, and there was something he recognized, something he clearly loved....as his next move was to repeatedly kiss the heart with all the sound effects included!
The heart on my bracelet had the image of Our Lady on it, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Now, I know what you’re thinking.....he's only a baby, but it taught me such a lesson today. My son can't even say her name yet, but will give Mary a kiss when he sees her. For so long, it seems I yearned to have some affection from him, something in return for all the hugs and kisses I had given him....hey I AM HIS MOTHER!
And then, I smile. Isn't she The Mother of us all? Somehow in all the hubbub of the day, the chores and the story time, he understood. When we read stories to the little ones, we teach them to blow a kiss to Mary in the picture, we blow a kiss to her in our bedtime prayers....it's so difficult to know....are we doing all we can? Am I teaching all they must know? Am I keeping them close to Jesus and His Mother? In the busy-ness of the day, I just never know, but today, today I had peace in knowing SOMETHING sunk in. He showed love to Our Lady, saved it, in a way for her. I sat and peered into the future. In any vocation he might follow, closeness to her, brings a mother a great sense of joy and peace.
Today, my HH and I sat on the couch, as we played with the baby, peek a boo and the like, when something caught his eye. I had a bracelet around my wrist...a basic silver chain with a heart charm on the clasp. He wiggled enough to get a closer look at the heart, and there was something he recognized, something he clearly loved....as his next move was to repeatedly kiss the heart with all the sound effects included!
The heart on my bracelet had the image of Our Lady on it, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Now, I know what you’re thinking.....he's only a baby, but it taught me such a lesson today. My son can't even say her name yet, but will give Mary a kiss when he sees her. For so long, it seems I yearned to have some affection from him, something in return for all the hugs and kisses I had given him....hey I AM HIS MOTHER!
And then, I smile. Isn't she The Mother of us all? Somehow in all the hubbub of the day, the chores and the story time, he understood. When we read stories to the little ones, we teach them to blow a kiss to Mary in the picture, we blow a kiss to her in our bedtime prayers....it's so difficult to know....are we doing all we can? Am I teaching all they must know? Am I keeping them close to Jesus and His Mother? In the busy-ness of the day, I just never know, but today, today I had peace in knowing SOMETHING sunk in. He showed love to Our Lady, saved it, in a way for her. I sat and peered into the future. In any vocation he might follow, closeness to her, brings a mother a great sense of joy and peace.
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