Sometimes it’s the simple things … like The Little Red Hen … that mean the world.
One evening recently, I sat down with my youngest son to read a story that has been special to me for the past couple of years … he said he didn’t want to read that particular book, and although I thought I could convince my sweet baby boy … the one who usually doesn’t give me a challenge … the one who is usually agreeable … no matter how I asked … his answer was “No … I don’t want to read that book.” and there was no changing his mind …
I couldn’t believe it!
I sat there … feeling very defeated … I was heartbroken.
You see … this book, “The Little Red Hen”, was my Mommy’s favorite book … so much so, that I bought it when she was battling cancer to comfort her; our oldest son was 2 years old at the time.
If you know me, you know my Mom meant the world to me and my family … she battled lung cancer and really started to break down, physically, during this time of the year.
… I hate this time of the year ….
…. after she passed, I started reading “The Little Red Hen” on a regular basis to my oldest son (the book is essentially about hard work; I highly recommend reading it, if you haven’t!). I would find comfort in knowing that I was reading the very book that my Mom so loved, to my THEN little guy who had lost his grandma … and I felt as though I was reading it for her, every time, because … she would have adored reading it to her precious grandson, whom she had prayed for.
I still felt my Mom’s presence in our lives whenever WE read it …
My oldest son would start to know the words … and say, “And…!! She did!” Every time we got to that part …. I got tickled, just like my Mom would have, when his little sweet voice would say it.
We hadn’t read it in a while … it had made its way to our youngest son’s room because! now, our oldest is 7 and reads more mature books ….
So, on that evening … when I (MOMMY!) needed comforting … and my heart was starting to feel heavy … I decided to ask my oldest son if he would help me read “The Little Red Hen”… and guess what?!
….HE DID!
My 7-year-old, who seems more like a teenager these days and usually wants do whatever his strong-willed self wants to do, surprised me! He came into the room, took the book into HIS hands and then! PROCEEDED TO READ THE ENTIRE BOOK TO ME … exactly like I had read to him for so many years prior … so that I could continue my Mom’s legacy and memory … and so that I could comfort him ….
… And now … my son was comforting me …
I was trying to keep back my tears, as he was reading … I was so proud of him! For being my rock when I was weak …
When he was done … I broke down and cried. I cried because I was proud … I cried because my Mom should be here. I cried because I wanted my Mommy! I cried because although I thought he had forgotten about this book … he didn’t! He knew the importance of this book and of his Grandma!
… and I saw, almost for the first time … that my baby … is truly growing up in a very loving and caring way …
