An exchange with my godson

This photo was taken at my godson’s high school graduation party. That’s him under the blue balloon and I’m at the far left wearing the yellow lei.

My almost-19-year-old godson began his college career this autumn. Every once in a while it occurs to me I can text him to let him know I’m thinking of, praying for and sending him love.

I did so last evening and asked him if he had any ideas for a blog post I had to write. He texted back immediately and asked, “How about the morality of the government shutdown?” (He texts in complete words for my sake.)

Intrigued, I replied: “Think it was a moral choice?”

Reply: “Nope. It’s less of a choice than just being irresponsible.”

We had a couple more exchanges after that.

Well, I’m not going to write about the morality of the government shutdown. I’m going to write about how good it felt to me that this young man was thinking about the way governments behave, the choices lawmakers make in terms of their responsibility to the people of our nation. I’m going to write about how proud of him I am – that he is thinking of the situation in terms of morality and not politics.

I’m going to write about how my exchange with my godson made me deeply grateful – once again – that I belong to a family who loves one another and showers that love on one another. Children in our family are loved and teased and expected to stick together – big kids take care of little kids; cousins are friends with one another.

I belong to family that delights in talking politics and religion – usually with more than a little heat generated. We slide from these heated topics into all the everyday subjects and items of interest shared by loving families and friends.

I belong to a family of many different personalities; so there’s plenty of opportunity for each of us to practice patience as each of us is bound to rub another of us the wrong way at times. I belong to family that takes that as normal and moves on.

So what I’m writing about is the recognition that my godson is such a part of our big, boisterous, loving family and is taking his place among us in a new way – an adult way. I am writing about blessings – mine. How I praise Providence for the blessings of family and friends, the blessing of three goddaughters and two godsons – each of whom delights and gladdens me!