I was thoroughly enjoying watching my children at swimming lessons this evening when it struck me. I was the only parent, the only parent actually watching my children. Not only were they not watching, they were all anxiously engaged in an iPhone (or similar device).
I got to thinking, can this really be what God intended our opposable thumbs for? Can it possibly be that this miraculous gift was meant for frenzied pushing of buttons and screens, sending messages of little importance for the most part, and engaging our brains in such addictive behaviors that we can not even determine the proper time and place for such things in our lives? Can it be?
What will you be doing when your child looks for you, across the abyss, with fear and trembling perched at the edge of the unknown depths before her? Will you see her? Will you reach out with love, and the most loving smile and wave you can possibly conjure? Will you have that moment forever locked between you? Will you be able to recall the joy and feel the excitement that accompanies such an amazing feat? Will you be able to celebrate and share in the moment? Where will you be, and what will you be doing, when your child is looking to you for that ever reassuring smile and wave. That smile and wave say so much; "You can do it, I know you can. You are amazing."
I had no idea tonight would be the night. There is often little forewarning, and mostly none at all, in these grand moments that add precious drops in their buckets of self worth. I am sure glad my thumb was anxiously engaged in waving encouragement, and that my heart and mind were united in purpose tonight as I watched my child's real world unfolding before her.
