------- . . . Yes, it
really seems true that my favorite part of fatherhood is bedtime.
Each and every experience has a charm of its own, but there's just
something about that tender moment when you lay your child down,
kiss his head, and say goodnight. Some nights I'll crawl in bed
beside my little ones and read them a bedtime story, or just talk
about all the wonderful things that filled the day with delight.
Other nights I might just tuck the corners of the sheets under the
mattress, say a few words of encouragement, and bid my wondrous
child a fantastic journey into dreamland.
-------When my first son was not quite
two years old, I experienced one of the greatest moments of my life
in the simplicity of his words. I took him with me for a rare ride
in my truck as I went on a routine run to a nearby convenience store
for a few items needed for our evening meal. I didn't think much
about the simple event. I was just happy to have him alongside me,
and he enjoyed being treated special, buckled in with the "big
boy" seatbelt instead of his usual car seat in Mommy's car.
We returned home only moments after departing with our groceries
in tow. I thought nothing more of the little task for several hours.
-------That night as I tucked my son
in bed and told him goodnight, I heard a faint mumble. Bending down
to position my ear closer to the tiny mouth I asked him to repeat
himself. "Gank-oo fur takun' me wiff you in your truck a-day,"
was the reply. Tears filled my eyes in an instant as I became numb
with the warmest of emotions.
-------To think that something so routine,
so trivial, could have an impact so strong. I felt a kind of love
I'd never experienced before in that little voice's gratitude. His
words told me I was special, and that he was happy to share the
moment with me. More than that, his words told me that my twenty-three
pound little boy had a twenty-three ton heart.
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