His ears are so soft.
That glossy feeling of fur sliding between my fingers as I rub and tug at his head. My fingertips search for that warm sensation when I sense he is near me. If he lays at my feet, I don’t even stop what I am doing before sliding off my slippers and rubbing his back or belly with my foot. He knows I will before I know I will. I don’t realize when I’m doing it again, which is even better for him…if he can creep up slowly and quietly. I just start rubbing. I might be talking on the phone or watching TV. I might be working on paperwork at the table or reading a book. Always lost in thought somewhere else, which is why I start touching his soft ears. He trusts me to make him feel loved.
When my kids were smaller, I did the same thing to them. It came so naturally to rub their soft hair, pull them up on my lap for a quick snuggle before they went on to play, or steal a quick kiss from their small cheek as I tied their shoes. Touching them was like breathing. I just did it.
Now my kids are starting to grow up.
I have a tween and a teen. They move around the house so fast, always busy doing something. They don’t slow down as often where I can catch them. I can’t rub my daughter’s hair because she’s taller than I am and she just spent the last hour braiding that hair. I can’t curl my son’s fingers in mine while we walk because he’s as tall as my shoulder now and he really doesn’t want to be seen like that. So, I rub and touch my furry friend for comfort. It makes me feel better as long as I don’t stop to think about the fact that it’s not my children anymore…
I think Jesus felt the same way about little children when he told the disciples to stay out of the way, he knew they wanted to be with him. The children wanted to come up to him and stand close, ask questions, and see what he was doing. They wanted to laugh and be safe near him. Just like I want to be. No, I can’t touch Jesus physically now, but I can come up to him. I can open his word, the Bible, and read the words that hold his thoughts for me. I can stand close and ask questions. In the quiet of everyday life, I can see what he is doing. When Jesus suggested we learn a lesson from those kids, I think he may have been trying to point me in the direction of trust, a peaceful joy when I am near him, and a feeling of love and safety. This is available to me on a daily basis.
When my blood pressure starts to rise because my kids won’t stop bothering me, I need to remember Jesus. When I start to yell at them because they must not realize I’m trying to get something done, I need to remember Jesus. Never once has he been too busy running the galaxy to be with me when I pray. I’m not perfect, I will screw this up. But, I can ask my kids to forgive me and start over. So far, they always have.
As for my kids, I intentionally hug them for 20 seconds or more at a time, on purpose, until they laugh.
This happens at least once daily and more if they need it, or I need it. I try to look on them with love and hug them with my eyes from across the room. I am trying to make this as natural as breathing just like touching them when they were little. I won’t give up on this. I will make myself available to them daily and try not to be lost in thought, lost in my cell phone, or lost in my to-do list.
As for my dog, he is just like a kid. He knows I need his soft fur. He’s better therapy than a blood pressure medication and a therapist all rolled into one. I think I’ll get that little dog an extra treat.
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