I hadn’t expected to catch a glimpse of Your heart in the dentist’s office, waiting, those two teen girls snapping gum and popping bubbles there across from my chair, but then again, aren’t You always the Surprising One?
I wasn’t staring at them, hadn’t even really taken notice of them, those words in book from the library entrancing and leading me on.
It was only a quiet snickering that made me look up from the page. The brunette with hair twisted high, glistening blue shadow shimmering on eyelids, she’s moves hand with French manicured nails up to cup mouth, shielding words whispered to the blonde in clingy red t-shirt. Then the blonde’s eyes search about, directed by hushed prattling, and land on the lap beside me.
My son’s lap. Her hand flashes to hide the smirk. I follow her gaze.
Eldest has a book in his lap. Across the glossy yellow paperback’s cover, emblazoned in a bold, black font is the scintillating title poking this chic duo to muffled guffawing. William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
I stifle my own happy smile. He too has brought his own library reading.
Son doesn’t even notice the scoffing because he’s scanning the headlines of the strewn magazines, dentist subscriptions to distract patients in cue for pain.
“The Dangerous Mind of Mark Twain”? He’s incredulous and snaps up the Times Magazine. “Mark Twain didn’t have a dangerous mind!” He’s muttering to himself as he flips pages looking for the article, oblivious to me, to the world sitting here in his orb, hearing the whirring gears of his mind.
Scornful laugh again escapes shimmery brunette who jabs voluptuous blonde and she rolls her eyes and I watch them spurn my son.
My heart could burst. He’s being rejected for the things he’s inherited from me, for being true to and identifying with things close to my heart. For being unashamed of who he is as part of our quirky family with this fascination with words.
And I have never loved him more than in that moment.
I reach over and touch this son of mine, rub his back, wanting to somehow transfer the delight I feel for him into his skin, his soul.
And the realization made me catch my breath: Is this the rush of love You feel when a child of Yours is true to You?
“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven." ~Mt. 10:32
Photo: true-hearted Caleb
