I consider myself to be a fun loving guy. I like to joke and
play. I love playing with my kids and watching them goof off and have fun. Yet
so often I find myself thinking like a grown up and not seeing the beauty in
who they are and what they do.
My youngest absolutely loves Christmas time. He is such a
neat, loving, and giving kid. This guy is always giving a large portion of his
allowance, birthday, and Christmas money to the church. (He really does not get
very much…) It amazes me how often I see his name on the list of givers for a
Sunday.
So this Christmas he was in my room wrapping “gifts”. I have
to say I kind of looked at him and asked what he was doing. “I am wrapping
these for my teacher.”
“Oh, Why?”
“For my teacher for Christmas.”
I kind of rolled my eyes and said o.k. and walked away. He
was wrapping used packing tape rolls and toilet paper rolls. My beautiful wife asked him
if he was sure that his teacher would like the gift.
“She will LOVE it!” he assured her.
So he wrapped toilet paper rolls and used packing tape rolls
to his heart’s content. I didn't say anything further his smile said it all.
This is one of those times that I didn't think much of it
then, but looking back realized that I let my clouded, jaded, overly full adult
mind lose sight of the joy and innocence of childhood. This kid was giving what
he had. He was making gifts that meant something to him.
So, it is February now, Mike, why are you talking about
Christmas? We had a meeting with his teacher yesterday. During the meeting she
looked at us and said, “This is off topic, but did you know what your son did
for me for Christmas.”
Not sure what she was talking about, we braced ourselves and
said, “No?”
She proceeded to tell us about the gift she got. She talked
about how excited this great guy was and how much he wanted her to open the
gift he gave her. He continually asked her until she finally opened it during a
break. To hear her enthusiasm for my child was awesome to me.
When she saw him next and he asked about the gift, she told
him how excited she was. He told her that he knew she liked to be creative and
could make something great. The excitement they
shared was genuine, kind, loving, and amazing to me. This is why some people
are 4th grade teachers and others that are stuck in the mud with no
imagination, like me, are not 4th grade teachers.
She went home and
told her husband that she had to go to the craft store. She had to think of a
way to make something great out of what my sweet kid gave her. She was excited
to show us. She recognized that if an 8th grader gave the gift, it
would be odd. Even if certain other kids gave the gift, it would be odd. But my
son gave the gift and his mind is creative, resourceful, super quick and often
thinking of others.
When she walked in with her blinged out packing tape roll bangle bracelet, it
put a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and a reminder in my life that the Gift
is in the relationship not in the item or the expense.
I love that my 9 year
old can teach me so much!! I hope I can learn to love and show it as easily and effectively as he does!
