Our baby boy started kindergarten this week. Hudson may not be the baby of the family, but he certainly is our baby boy. I was dreading Hud starting school more than I did Branson two years ago, something about that 2nd-born, sensitive spirit. He's already asked me to be his teacher for 1st grade so that he can "spend every day with me."
You see why he has my heart.
And yet I think he's ready to spread his wings a bit.
Basden and I went to recess Wednesday just to observe things. As she played on the playground with all the big kids, I noticed that Hud never left her side. He coaxed her down a long, winding slide, helped her across some monkey bars, and followed her every move. Finally about 20 minutes into recess, he ran to me and asked, "Mommy, do you mind staying with Basden for a little while and I'll go play with my friends?"
With the flash of a lopsided grin, he was off... leaving me touched that he felt responsible for taking such good care of his little sister.
In his first few days at school, Hud is bringing profound little nuggets of truth home for the rest of us.
Last night he saw me packing lunches and stopped me in the process.
"Mom, I can't take peanut butter sandwiches anymore in my lunch."
"Why not, Hud?"
"Becuase there's a boy in my class who's allergic to peanut butter."
"Oh really? And your teacher says you can't bring pb & j anymore?"
"No, the teacher didn't say anything, but he has to sit far away from anyone who has peanut butter. And that makes me sad. So I don't want to take it anymore."
I think this is what Paul might be referring to when he says,
"Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible - but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
While it's permissible for Hudson to take peanut butter sandwiches (his favorite), he is choosing not to for the good of one other little boy, to protect his feelings and to be able to sit by him.
Thanks for the good word, Hud.
Comments
Glad you stopped by... my kids are reinforcing Dan Allender's insights as to how kids raise their parents. Blessings.