My compassionate son

Last week my friend Lisa died of colon cancer which most recently had spread to her bones. There are many things I could say about Lisa but I’ll save that for another time. I found out on Wednesday morning. Alex and I were in the car about to back out of the driveway when I bumped my phone accidentally. I saw that I had an email so instead of starting the car I opened it and read that Lisa died early that morning. I started crying immediately. I truly thought she was going to beat it, and she would be back at church directing the children’s choir by fall. As I cried Alex sat quietly in the backseat. After a minute or so he said, “Mommy, are you okay? Why are you so sad, mommy?” “Mommy is sad because her friend Lisa died today,” I replied. “Miss Lisa?” “No, not your teacher. Lisa Ham.” He got quiet and then said, “Like green eggs & ham?” I smiled and said, “Just like green eggs & ham.” (Lisa would have loved this. I will tell her husband this story in time.)

I cried and cried. I called a few of her close friends to check in and tell them they were in my prayers. And Alex sat in the backseat of the car as I drove us to work/school (same place). After one call Alex took the opportunity to tell me that Lisa was in heaven with God. Wow. He’s only 3 and a half and he gets it. Totally gets it. This would make a lot of mothers very proud and I am. But I’m also a Christian educator and work in children’s ministry so it makes me BEAM with pride!

“Mommy, are you going to cry the whole way there?” “Yes, I am. And I’ll probably cry for a few days because I really liked Lisa.” At this point it gets quiet and since I can’t see him I imagined he was just looking out the window or thinking about Spiderman or who-knows-what. But he wasn’t. He had this toy in his hand – his most favoritest toy in the whole wide world (that he got four days earlier at Chuck E Cheese). He said, “Here, mommy. Does this make you feel better?” I put my hand back blindly to grab whatever it was. I knew just by feeling it what he was handing me. “Yes, Alex. This makes me feel a lot better. I’m going to put it in my pocket and remember how much you love me,” I said. And my heart was moved by this beautiful act of kindness and love my son showed me. My son has learned compassion. I am the luckiest mom in the whole wide world.

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