Dear Archer-
You scored a goal in
your soccer game today, June 1, 2013, and just knowing this gives me great joy.
In fact, I get great joy from all that you do and say. I am amused that you
told your barber that you have six names, and I think it’s “hysterical,” that
you are also Mario (and sometimes Luigi). I am so pleased that you did well on
your intelligence and aptitude tests because your scores are likely to improve
your life in some ways. I wish that people wouldn’t keep score and label others…
but since you will be helped by the process, I am quite pleased. I was also
filled with joy when I saw you dancing for me in Brooklyn, although I wasn’t
able to discern what particular dance you were doing, and I am very proud of how
well you are doing in school. You have a wonderful mom and dad and a very happy
grammy, who was really touched with the salt and pepper shakers you made. When
I heard that you enjoyed a stand-up comic that you saw, and that you really
wanted to go on stage yourself, I laughed with joy because most kids who are 4
(almost 5) would neither enjoy a stand-up comedian nor even consider doing it themselves.
Maybe we could develop an act, and go on tour as a really, really old person
and a very young person! For years, long, long before you were born, I often
wondered what joy would feel like. I even tried to bring it about and make it
happen, but it didn’t work! Sometimes I had fun and many times I had a lot of laughs,
but I could not make joy happen. Instead, I have discovered that joy simply
comes to you when you love another person deeply. Joy overwhelms you when you
forget about yourself and get fully entangled with another person’s excitement,
laughter, and accomplishments.
I hope that you will
always remember this lesson, but for now, I look forward to all of the joy that
you will bring to me- simply because I love who you are. I received the same
kind of joy when your mommy scored her first soccer goal and when you aunt
Kelli graduated from college. Joy also came upon me when your cousin Brooke
(aka Brooklee) and I “mooed” for our shakes at a café in Joliet and when your
cousin, Brittany, and I made up songs on the way to school. Brooke and Brit
gave me joy for the same reason that you give me joy- I love all of them with
all of my heart, as I do grammy. Finally, I must mention Donald. He’s 1 year
old, and even though I don’t see him often, I love him very much. His great
smile and big eyes give me joy, and he may well score a goal some day too.
Well, that’s about
it. It’s almost midnight and I have to preach a sermon in the morning. Thanks
for giving me joy, Archer. It is a remarkable thing, and maybe it’s only old
people who really know how good it is. Remember, you don’t have to do anything
special or win something to give me joy. I hope these things will come to you,
but you give me joy just because I love you as you are. One last thing- I heard
that you made a great defensive play also- and that the other kids gave you a
“high five.” That’s our boy!
Poppy
AN
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