28 days of love

This is not your usual “love” post…

About a month ago, I was having one of those (seems to be daily) talks with my teenage son about getting things done,  picked up, put away…etc….

You know the kind of daily “talks” we as moms seem to have oh so often with our kids.  In the middle of the conversation he told me to “Stop right there”.  I was caught off gaurd and asked him why.  He then shocked me into full awake mode – soul awakening – what Oprah calls an AHA MOMENT.

My sweet 13 year old son pushed me to a place I hadn’t known I was not in.

What did he say, you ask.

He said, “stop there, because you just said something nice to me, so let’s end the conversation there.”  – stop I did, and inserted a big punch into my gut…

“Do you think I don’t say nice things to you regularly, bud”?  I asked him.   “..no..” he said.

OOOOOOH   EMMMMM  GEEEEEE!

Me, the nicest lady I know! (Haha) was just told by the boy I love the most, that my words have not equaled what my heart feels.

Thank you for the wake up call.

We proceeded to have a really great conversation later on the way to school.  I told him how much I do love him and how many things he does do right, etc.  I told him that as his mom it’s important for me to push him forward into becoming a kind, responsible, giving, caring man (which he is on his way to being).  I apologized that he didn’t hear me say those kind things enough and told him for the month of February, EVERY morning I am going to write something nice about him and put it on his bedroom door.  He had a small smile.

He asked me why I was writing it down and not saying it to him… so I showed him why.

I sincerely looked him in the eyes and said “Bud, I love how creative you are!” he then laughed and called me cheesy!  haha, and that, my friend, is why I said I would write it down.  I told him, I wanted him to see the words every day.  (I still did tell him each morning at breakfast) but I loved that he could read and re-read the love notes daily.

 

My point to this post is that how often are we not living the way we think we are.  Here is this sweet, sensitive, strong, kind, super funny boy who only heard mom harping on him.  He taught me a lesson so valuable.  Although I do believe actions speak loud, I was reminded that kind words also speak volumes.

I asked him if he would miss his daily notes, and my boy said…. “yes”.  I’m so glad we found our way to this point of parenting.  I will work hard to speak the words I feel in my heart to him.  I will tell him that I am proud of him.  That I love to cheer him on at his football, basketball, track, swim, flag football events!  I am impressed with his creative spirit, I love to laugh at his humor.  He is a good kid, no, a GREAT kid!  and I’ll make sure to tell him that more often!