Words Matter

One day when Matt was just a little nugget, I was lying beside him scratching his back before his nap. The next thing I remember is waking up with his face two inches from mine and his eyes wide open. “Hi Mommy,” he said in a sweet voice that could have been mistaken for his sister’s. As I looked at the clock on the wall behind him, I realized I had been sound asleep for a solid hour, while he quietly laid beside me.

As I got up from my nap that day and gave Matt a pass on his, I chuckled and told him, “Matthew, I love being your mommy.” Without hesitation or thought, he replied, “My love being your boy!” Few things have melted my heart like this moment. Ever since this day, this has been our little saying to one another.

Eventually Matthew’s grammar matured and he naturally changed his part to, “I love being your boy.” But the sentiment remained as dear and so every day when I dropped him off at preschool, then kindergarten and then elementary school, we exchanged these words to one another.

As I was driving him to middle school that first day of sixth grade, I knew in my heart that the days of this being cute or acceptable were likely behind us. But nonetheless, I decided to give it a whirl. As we made our way to the front door and Matt’s turn to jump out approached, I started to open my mouth when Matthew turned to me, looked me in the eyes and shook his head no. He knew what I was about to say and I knew what he was shaking off.

Eventually we tweaked the wording by adding the word still to the sentence (I STILL love being your mom). Together we found times that it was meaningful and seemingly appropriate to exchange these words; after his basketball coach benched him, after his first kiss, before I left him at college, and often as I held his pale, sick hand during his leukemia treatments.

Matt recently celebrated his 21st birthday - a day that doesn’t get taken for granted. I called to wish him a happy birthday and we reflected on the gift of life and another birthday. After hanging up, I was sad for what I hadn’t said in our conversation. So I sent Matt this simple text: “BTW, I still love being your Mom.” He immediately replied, “And I still love being your boy.”

These simple, yet meaningful words now encapsulate a lifetime of shared moments and symbolize a deep love that is surely one of the greatest gifts God has given me. It reminds me that our words matter, both those that we speak on a consistent basis, and the ones that are left unsaid.

Is there something God’s been calling you to share with someone you love?

Photo courtesy of Laura Rowe Photography