Day 26 of A Month of Gratitude, #AMOG, and today, I am #grateful for #secondson. It was a strange day today, from the moment I woke up I felt out of sorts, and exhausted, and the day seemed to appear long and draggy. It's been punctuated with grumpy encounters on a day when I think I'd have preferred being a hermit, and should have caught up on sleep and rest. Instead, the literal rain fell from the sky in the morning, and something obscured the sun from my soul too, and I felt myself perfunctorily floating along rather joylessly in a sleepy daze. Nothing seemed to reach me as I pondered gratitude for today. My heart and mind were an icy blank, in fact, I was more annoyed than grateful, and events unfolded that upset me. And then the clouds parted, thanks to my 23 year old second son.
Second son is a natural born counsellor. The kind of loving soul who can hear every side of a story, see right through to an issue and help guide you in finding your way through a maze. What a joy it has been to be able to sit down and talk to him openly and transparently and lay bare my soul. I can weep, or be upset, and express my feelings and he will hear it all and weigh his words and speak the truth to my heart in the gentlest of ways.
I often tell myself that I'm supposed to be the one who stands in the gap and is there for the kids all the time, but second son's empathy and compassion remind me that it is perfectly alright to lean on my own children once in awhile, especially the adult ones who have lived long enough to know that things are not always black or white. Sometimes, all you need is to touch base, talk things over, get a megadose of hugs, be in the presence of unconditional love, and you can feel like your day has brightened, you've shed a burden, and your world seems safer, and it's all because someone you love deeply, loves you deeply, too.
And so my sleep deprived day got off to a poor start but it was rescued by second son who, with his natural instinct perceived that I was upset, and with his genuine affection, acted on it and sat down to hear me out. I spoke, I wept, I ranted a bit, I vented a lot. And he listened, because listening is what he does well. It's a genuine skill, to be an empathetic listener, and a natural born counsellor, and see beyond the mess of words, feelings, tears and anger, to what is going on and to know the right things to say. And he always does know what to say, and because he says it so gently and lovingly I sit up and listen to his innate wisdom, knowing that it comes from a good place.
So I am grateful for second son and the gift of his presence at home for now, and his loving heart and sweet soul that genuinely cares and is unafraid to be vulnerable and authentic. I do believe that I owe my life to him in some way, as he was there for me in my darkest days a few years ago when I thought my life was actually over. Having him journey with me, with his listening ear, loving heart, and embracing arms saved my life. The knowledge that his well being is inextricably linked to my own well being has kept me going, but largely it is pure love.
To be loved unconditionally by a sweet soul is a gift beyond measure. I love you, not just because you so clearly love me, but because of who you are. ❤
A couple of my fav pix of second son on my birthday in 2016 and in NS in 2017.
#AMOG #AMonthOfGratitude #GratefulForSecondSon #NaturalBornCounsellor #Listener #InnateWisdom #Empathy #Compassion #Gentle #Sweet #Vulnerable #Authentic #Transparent #Open #UnconditionalLove #SafeSpace #IMadeItThroughDayTwentySix
Thanks for reading,
Pav
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