Aly held my hand...
She reached over and grabbed my hand.
Every day I take my girls to school. A different one sits in the front seat every morning (they have some kind of rotation of fairness nailed down just like any siblings would). This morning is was Aly Grace's turn in the passenger's seat.
As I pulled out of the driveway I felt Aly's hand pull my right hand off the steering wheel and pull it over to her lap. She then proceeded to hold my wrist with her right hand while she wedged the fingers of her left hand in between each of mine so that we could hold hands in an interdigitated fashion. My arm was extended over the console and draped on her lap the whole 7 minute ride to school. Those are some of my favorite 7 minute intervals in life.
Usually I'm the one initiating hugs, kisses, snuggling, and hand-holding. I'm perfectly fine with that as I think it's my place to continue to pursue their hearts even when they give appearances that they aren't as interested. But like a root out of dry ground, sometimes something extraordinary prompts them to pursue me. I wish I could get in their minds to see what they're reaching for--needing in that moment that they might not ever be aware of.
As I held her hand this morning her 14 year life passed before my mind's eye. I recalled events and moments that have formed Aly into the beautiful young woman she is. As if some nameless energy was flowing back and forth between our connected limbs, I was transported in warp speed through her story, leafing through chapters gone by and imagining chapter yet to be written. Those 7 minutes rendered and re-rendered and I remembered and re-rerembered. It's amazing how much the human mind can do with 7 minutes. Some studies say that the average time of a dream ranges somewhere around 7-10 minutes and just think about how extensive and expansive those dreams can be? I felt something akin to that this morning, except I was awake, which is even better.
She reached over to connect with me this morning. I don't know what was released in her mind, but I know what was unleashed in mine.
Every day I take my girls to school. A different one sits in the front seat every morning (they have some kind of rotation of fairness nailed down just like any siblings would). This morning is was Aly Grace's turn in the passenger's seat.
As I pulled out of the driveway I felt Aly's hand pull my right hand off the steering wheel and pull it over to her lap. She then proceeded to hold my wrist with her right hand while she wedged the fingers of her left hand in between each of mine so that we could hold hands in an interdigitated fashion. My arm was extended over the console and draped on her lap the whole 7 minute ride to school. Those are some of my favorite 7 minute intervals in life.
Usually I'm the one initiating hugs, kisses, snuggling, and hand-holding. I'm perfectly fine with that as I think it's my place to continue to pursue their hearts even when they give appearances that they aren't as interested. But like a root out of dry ground, sometimes something extraordinary prompts them to pursue me. I wish I could get in their minds to see what they're reaching for--needing in that moment that they might not ever be aware of.
As I held her hand this morning her 14 year life passed before my mind's eye. I recalled events and moments that have formed Aly into the beautiful young woman she is. As if some nameless energy was flowing back and forth between our connected limbs, I was transported in warp speed through her story, leafing through chapters gone by and imagining chapter yet to be written. Those 7 minutes rendered and re-rendered and I remembered and re-rerembered. It's amazing how much the human mind can do with 7 minutes. Some studies say that the average time of a dream ranges somewhere around 7-10 minutes and just think about how extensive and expansive those dreams can be? I felt something akin to that this morning, except I was awake, which is even better.
She reached over to connect with me this morning. I don't know what was released in her mind, but I know what was unleashed in mine.
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