How Kids Spell Love

I was outside enjoying my morning cup of coffee. The sunrise was beautiful. Birds serenaded me with songs. A deer walked through a nearby field. Turkeys soon joined them. I sat down on the porch to spend a little time talking to God.

A big yellow school bus drove by. My smartphone dings and I look at several pictures on Facebook of kids from our church heading off to the first day of school after their summer break.

I sip my coffee and think about our kids and grandkids when they were young and going off to school on a big yellow school bus. Our sons are now past middle age. Grandkids are either married, attending college, or finishing their last year of high school. They are all busy with their own lives now.

I wish, when I was growing up, I had what some kids have. A mom and a dad, and a grandma and papaw who always greeted me with a hug and a kiss. Who let me do just about anything, within reason, and would even do it with me sometimes. Who would wave goodbye, blow kisses, and tell me they loved me when it was time to go. That is only some of what I would want if I were a kid again.

I would want to build a campfire, enjoy poking around in it, watch the flames dance, and make s’mores. I would want dad to make me a wooden boat and go sail it down the creek and use my truck and digger to make roads on the gravel bar. I would want to find beautiful rocks, others with holes in them, and sticks that beavers chewed on.

I would want to feel good because I could drive an ATV all by myself but safe because mom or dad, or grandma, or papaw was riding with me. I would want to sing songs at the top of my voice as I ride and feel the comfort of big arms around me.

I would want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited about the little things like finding a turkey feather or a turtle shell, hunting squirrels and picking apples.

I would want to be excited when I catch a fish or a crawdad. I would want to have fun walking through a puddle, learning to skip a rock or playing in the creek. I would want to look forward to helping grandma bake cookies and pumpkin pies, and help grandpa fry fish and make cinnamon rolls. I would want to smile when I beat adults in board games and video games. I would want to go to Disney World one more time.

I would want to feel important when I was handed a trophy or ribbon from karate classes, bowling, basketball, baseball, gymnastics or showing cows. I would want to look up in the stands and mom and dad and my grandparents would always be there to see me. I would want to know they are all there when I need them.

I would want to climb up in mom or dad’s or grandma or papaw’s lap and have them read me a book and then feel proud when I can read it to them. I would want mom to talk to me as she drives me to school and watch her cry when I got on that big yellow school bus or I drive myself to school.

I would want to know I can always run and jump in my dad’s or papaw’s arms and they would catch me. I would want dad to patiently explain to me again how to do things. I would want grandma to take me shopping. I would want to know that if I have bad dreams or hear a storm, mom and dad are close by and would snuggle with me so I could go back to sleep.

I would want to know if dad is too busy or too tired to play ball with me, I could call my papaw and he will come right over. I would want to ride my bike for the first time without training wheels, feel safe because dad is running along right beside me and smile when grandma says she is proud of me.

I would want to experience summer nights catching lightning bugs and putting them in jars. I would want to catch a frog or turtle, give them a name, and feel tears running down my cheek when they escape or dad tells me I have to let them go.

I would want to pick up a garden hose and squirt all the adults in sight or play on a slip ’n slide until my toes and fingers were wrinkled. I would want to slide a snake down my sliding board again and cut down the neighbor’s tree with my dad’s hatchet. I would want to dress up like Spider Man and make things out of Lego’s. I would want grandma to scratch my back.

I would want to play snow football, build a snowman or a fort, and make a snow angel. I would want to play wiffleball, do a cart wheel, and color in my coloring book. I would want to take cardboard and slide down the steps. I would want grandma to lie down on the driveway while I outline her in chalk.

I would want to climb a tree and set in it with dad or papaw looking for deer. I would want to go turkey hunting and walk to the blind holding hands with dad.

I would want dad to lift me up to put a ball in the basket and help me swing a big bat. I would want to toss around the football with dad or papaw, or play on my little indoor basketball goal again. 

I would want to jump on the trampoline and play sports for the fun of it. I would want to believe, like papaw told me, that I can do anything I put my mind to. I would want to sit in church again with my family and have mom teach me how to pray.

All that you have read are things that happened in the lives of our kids and grandkids. I wish I had good memories from when I was a kid, but I do not. Mom and dad divorced when I was young. Most of my time was spent with grandma and grandpa but they were always busy on the farm. I made memories, but mostly by myself.

Our family life was not always the best by no means. Yours probably isn’t either. I personally, made mistakes that I regret. God did not give up on me though and He will not give up on you either.

Parents and grandparents, go make memories with your kids and grandkids that they will never forget. Remember, T.I.M.E. is how kids spell love.