Lamppostings

I love it when my boys want to hold my hand while we are walking. Sometimes they just run up to me and grab my hand, other times I have to tell them that they must as we cross a road or walk over an icy patch.

I got to thinking about it a lot this past Summer when we were hiking The Butte (that’s butte, not butt, people!) once a week as a family (until it got too hot for me). It’s a pretty major walk, a mile up and a mile down. The boys amazed me that at 5 and 3 years old, they did this 500 foot ascent without complaining (mostly). We played games along the way and always looked for familiar landmarks. I would walk with one of them and my husband would walk with the other. There was lots of hand-holding both on the way up and the way down. This was for safety and to keep them on track as they were often distracted along the way – many times by dirt! There may have occasionally been a bit of dragging on the steeper parts (better workout for Mom and Dad!)

We learned that Jude loves sticks and that Zane loves stones and I’m thinking that the rock band that they start when they are 17 and 15 should be called Sticks and Stones.

Anyway, when I would walk with Jude, the five-year old, he would hold my whole hand. When I would walk with Zane, the three-year old, he would only hold my index finger. It was easier for his little hand to grasp one finger and hold on tight. I thought about the difference that two years can make. Now whenever Zane holds my “hand” I try to cherish it as I know that the times and these boys they are a changin’. Zane now alternates between clutching one and two fingers.

Sometimes, all I can do is hold onto one of God’s fingers – I can’t get my hand around His whole hand, so I grasp a finger and hold tight. It’s enough for today – it helps keep me safe and keeps me moving when I get distracted by “stuff”. On other days I can hold three fingers or maybe even His whole hand, that’s good too. On special occasions, I find that I can intertwine my fingers with His and that is amazing. Whether it’s a one finger day or a whole hand day, I’m just thankful that He walks with His hand held out to the side so I can grab it when I need it.