My Son, My Sunshine, and The Yellow Boots
Transported back in time
Do you ever catch sight of something and get transported back in time in an instant? That happened to me today. It was the yellow boots I saw in the store.
My son, Morgan, was about 4 when he inherited some boots just like these from a bigger kid he looked up to. He. Loved. Them. He wore them everywhere, and there was never a pair of boots that more accurately expressed his sunshiney personality.
A Big Personality
Morgan had such a big and joyful presence that you could feel him coming. These were just right. (Plus yellow was always his favorite color.) But then one Fall day he lost them. Worse than that, we almost lost him.
The yellow boots
He was out with friends and their dads fishing for the afternoon. All was awesome – they were just stopping to fish along the lakeshore as they walked. The kiddos took off quite a bit ahead of the dads and then stopped again. It really was quick, but little Morgan accidentally tumbled in, yellow boots and all, and the drop-off was significant. I’ve heard from his dad that it felt like an eternity to get to him and when they did he was really struggling.
I’ll tell you what: Superdads are a real thing. I didn’t want to re-live that snapshot, but there were those yellow boots in the store today.
Sadness turned to gratitude
But instead of making me feel sad and experience the anxiety again, it actually turned me to gratitude.
- So grateful I still have my sunshiney boy. Life is precious.
- So grateful for his dad and our friend making such a quick rescue.
- So thankful that we know a Heavenly Father who walks with us through difficult and traumatic times and doesn’t leave us to bear them alone.
- So glad that Morgan is now a very strong swimmer.
- And I’m eternally grateful that he still lives as though he’s sporting those yellow boots – walking through life with joy and vibrancy that affects everyone around him.
What about you?
What about you? Do you have difficult memories that you can turn around to praise today? How will you bless the Lord at all times?
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
(Psalm 63:4)