The Love of a Child

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking. The sometimes elusive - always present, time. You can’t get back the minutes, hours and days that seemingly pass by in a flash. My most profound memory is my first day at home with my son. I gazed for what seemed like minutes but could easily have been hours at his lovely face.

A friend observed this gaze and commented later to her husband about my loving stare. He tells her - "I know it well". A parent himself he knows the total and complete awe surrounding the manifestation of the miracle that is life. The utter joy shared by the members of the society of parenthood.

Well over 365 days have passed since my son’s homecoming. And yet I can remember it like yesterday. In the midst of my reminiscing I quickly flash forward to today. My son's teacher sends weekly newsletters with pictures so parents can see what our children are up to. My son is depicted as a walking, talking, dynamo; enjoying himself tremendously during the hours away – from me.

When I pick him up from school oft times he clings tightly to my leg as if never wanting to let go. This behavior repeats itself at varying times during our evenings. And I must admit to sometimes becoming frustrated at this behavior; the term “hanging on to coattails” aptly describes my son during these moments. His new found independence has spoiled me, tricked me really, into sometimes forgetting he is still my baby. My little boy, who not long ago was the infant that I barely let get a cry out before running to his side.

I write this to serve as a reminder. There are moments when I wish he would go off and entertain himself and many times he does. But I realize that those minutes he needs to cling to Mommy are important too. They are fleeting. One day I will gaze at him walking out of the door and wish he would cling to me. I will not want to let him go.