Gratitude for my Son, Josiah

This morning gratitude nests in my soul as I remember my son’s entrance into the world 29 years ago.

I ponder what possibilities await his life, this magnificent young man who lights up the world with his smile.

I also remember the words of wisdom my great-grandma spoke: “The first step your son takes will be away from you.”

With parenting comes vulnerability; you can’t control this independent soul nor protect your offspring from the dangers that lurk about. And my son happens to have one of the most adventurous spirits I know so those dangers are many. It’s difficult to love someone so much and yet feel so powerless.

So with all of the sad good-byes, when Josiah travels the world, and the happy reunions, when he returns, I’ve grown to trust in the God who nestles us under His wings…and smiles when Josiah rests on elephants.

The anxious heart and fretful mind of a mother are difficult to quiet. Yet gratitude rests so sweetly in the soul; the very existence of which seems a miracle, the merging of our fragile human nature with God’s mother hen-like love.

If I could only remember to quiet my anxious soul on those troublesome days, I muse, and trust in God’s faithfulness with my children, now and forever. But stilling my worry-prone mind long enough to believe also comes as a gift of grace.

So this morning I once again say, “Thank you. Thank you Lord for giving me such a precious son. Thank you for watching over him when I am powerless to protect him. Thank you for the joy he brings to me and to so many others.”

Josiah is fun-loving, but he also has an old soul, evidenced by the endearing words he writes on cards to me. He has learned to move beyond just loving life to reflecting upon the meaning of living and upon those who give his live meaning.

I love my son more than life itself. He forms a melody in my soul no other can create. He is a precious person, and I am honored to be his mother. Happy birthday Josiah!

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