I received a missive recently in which children were asked, "What does love mean?" As I was reading through it, I was brought up short by this observation from a four year old! He said that when someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth. My heart skipped a beat. In its childlike simplicity, can you imagine anything more profound? We take into ourselves the true essence of our loved one and within our being they know a feeling of warmth, acceptance, and security. Their spirit as well as their body is safe with us. In fact, the two cannot be separated.
May the loving way in which you speak the name of your beloved(s) this Valentine's Day and every day forward be uttered with the constant, gentle, and innocent expression of our truest feelings. What do you think?
I think I saw the same email but I hadn't given much thought to that quote. I was too amused by the child that said something to the effect that "love was Grandpa painting Grandma's toenails because she couldn't bend over anymore". It reminded me of my Nonno putting rollers in my Nonna's hair. "Men get better when they get old" she whispered to me.
ReplyDeleteBut that four year old is right: no one says your name quite like someone who loves you.
I remember that email too. I love hearing things from a child's perspective, it's often more accurate and profound than an adults perspective. I agree with Tracey, men do get better as they age, I think they learn to appreciate.
ReplyDelete