JUST BECAUSE

Yesterday I mentioned that Lindsay wanted me to hold her all day. It started while the ladies were running the 5K race and my oldest son and I were watching Lindsay. Lindsay was in a back-pack child carrier on my son’s back during the race. I played with her a little bit but she soon fell asleep. She woke up after the race and that is when it began. We started walking to the Chocolate Tree, a candy factory, and Lindsay wanted me. All weekend she would squirm out of other people’s arms and reach for me. Sometimes she would squirm down out someone’s arms, even her parents, walk over to me with her arms outstretched for me to pick her up. Although I felt a little self-conscious about her wanting her grandpa (me) so much in lieu of the others, I got over it quickly as I sure enjoyed Lindsay’s love and attention!! But that got me thinking…

Believe it or not, there are some people who love me. If you ask them why, I’m sure there are all kinds of reasons why they do. Some love me for what I do while others love me despite what I do!! But, why does Lindsay love me? She loves me for no reason at all. She just does. To me, that is a beautiful testimony to what our love is supposed to be like too. We aren’t supposed to just love people for what they do for us or for how they make us feel when we are around them. A component of our love is supposed to be the simple child-like love that loves just because.

Although I see Lindsay on Skype each week for about an hour, I won’t see her again in person for a few weeks. I don’t know if she’ll remember me in the same light then. But for now, I’ll relish being loved by her “just because” and remember the lesson she taught me about child-like love.