Blowing in the wind

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Chinese Proverb

Seeing this picture reminded me of a lovely 'washing line experience' I had a decade or so ago, when EQ was about 5 years old. A picture paints a thousand words, well hopefully I can keep it to under that to tell our little story.

EQ had just started at preschool, a nice, well recommended, private, Christian preschool. Being my first child, I was super protective of him & very selective about putting him in environments where he would flourish. First week of preschool he comes home with the f*** word! Naive & over protective me, races down to the preschool end of week 1 to have a little chat with the teacher about where on earth this language was coming from!

What she said has stayed with me for a decade. She reassuringly told me that EQ had befriended a little boy (alias, Rocco) who was a little bit 'different' to the other children. Rocco was a rough & tumble kinda boy, flowery language himself for a 5 yr old, not liked, bullied & a bullier & EQ was one of the only boys in the class to befriend him.

She said, "trust that the good in your son will rub off more than the bad in Rocco. It would be a shame to separate them as Rocco needs EQ's friendship".

Still not terribly convinced about this situation & growing friendship, was prayerful and thoughtful about it. As often my habit, having a chat with God at the washing line, I happened to look over in our garden at a tree we had just planted (very similar size as in picture above). I noticed the wind blowing it almost over. Being so little it was not quite strong enough to keep upright, it bowed to the wind, but it did not break!

Like a voice from heaven itself, sensed that EQ was just like that little tree. His roots were planted deep & strong, though he would bend & bow with the winds of life, he would not break. He would keep growing but his roots were grounded in the right place.

It was such a comfort to my soul then and still now. I no longer fretted over this growing friendship. For goodness sake, seems so extreme even now thinking about it! However I have trusted that the good in my son would hold him through the winds of life. Not unrealistic to the fact he will be influenced & make some poor choices, but trusting he will turn out ok!

Cherishing my children

Cherishing epiphany moments

Cherishing images that comfort & hold us