Years ago my mother gave me a "Cathy" comic strip she had cut out of the paper when I was in the midst of my first serious relationship that was way too serious and quite tumultuous. It said, "A hand to hold. That's all of us ever really need. A hand to hold, and an opinion to reject." Relationships, I suppose, should provide us with both.
Today in church Jimmy surprised me by sitting with me. It has been years since he has been willing to do so, and I never even ask. He's too cool.
But for some reason he did, and I was happy. Other than his once a week snivelling meltdown (which I have video of but will not blog) he is a happy, cooperative, helpful kid who loves adult attention and approval. Almost always smiling, the extra-extravert who loves people. But pleasing me has to balance with being cool.
Today I grabbed his hand before church and it was so warm that I told him he needed to let me hold his hand to warm mine up. He glanced around and was most happy to oblige until my hand was nearly warm and one of the kids his age showed up to sit behind us. From then on I was on my own.
But I was happy to have that hand to hold from my big 15 year old boy who is taller than me, even if it was utilitarian in motive and only lasted until it was no longer cool.
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