Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Toes and Hearts

This past week-end I had the privilege of spending some time with a very fascinating woman.  Her name is Inez and she is my aunt by marriage.  So, I guess that makes me her nephew-in-law, if that is even a real familial relationship.  She told me a story about her grandmother.  In that story she talked about raising children and quoted her grandmother as saying the following:

When our children are young, they step on your toes.  But when they are grown, they walk on your heart.

What a great quote!

Perhaps up until this time in my life, I was too young to get the full meaning of that quote.  But, I get it now.

How well I remember the days when our kids were little.  I am not that tall, but I was taller than they were and they always seemed to be at my feet.  Now, my kids are full grown and my son towers over me.  And today, it is my heart that feels the impact and not my feet.

I am a very fortunate man and these days my heart swells with pride.  So, maybe the slight pain in my heart is more like the tightness in my waistline after the holidays.  Too much is stuffed inside.

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