Now it's a wink across the room. A stolen kiss on the back of his head as he rushes out the door to meet up with his buddies. Notes of encouragement for him to find. Eye contact. These are the things I still have.
But I gotta tell you something he did the other day that melted me to a puddle. He was sitting on the couch reading a book. I sat down beside him. He turned and leaned his back against me, still reading his book. I wrapped my arm around him from behind, so that my forearm crossed over his muscled little chest.
And you what he did? Silently, while he read, he lowered his face to my arm and breathed in my scent. No words were said. But in that moment, a thousand waves of joy crashed over my heart. It was as if he needed to know that I am the same mama he nuzzled and clung to from the cradle 'til kindergarten. It was as if he needed to know that I am still here.
Recently someone said, "Hug your children often, and the older, the oftener."
