This past Friday, guess what? I was summoned to work with a class of 2nd and 3rd graders in the Afterschool program. I was excited because Fridays are my absolute favorite day to serve! The schedule is less intense and our day ends with all the kids watching a movie together laid out on a sea of bright red beanbags.
Even before we could get all the beanbags out though, I had 4 different kids ask me where I would be sitting. Ummm ok. Kind of distracted from helping to manage the wiggly crowd of K4-8th graders, I flippantly pointed to the general area by the door and kept directing traffic. After everything settled, I looked over to figure out where I would sit and there, I found a perfectly positioned little kid chair near the door with not 1, or 2, or even 3, but 4 red beanbags on the 3 sides of the chair not leaning against the wall. Perched upon the surrounding pillows of crinkly softness were the 4 precious kids who had been very inquisitive as to where I might land. I kind of laughed to myself because they were so packed around the chair, I couldn’t get to it to sit down!
Gingerly, I tiptoed through the mass of little bodies and with a weary sigh, sat down in the little kid chair, praying it wouldn’t break; the bottom-to-available-seat ratio did not work in my favor. At all. Next thing I know, the orbiting, child-laden beanbags inch even closer (if that were possible) and all of the sudden, there’s one kid leaning her head back against one of my shins, another kid leaning on my arm, a kid holding my hand, another who HAD to have her beanbag right on top of my foot. Then, out of nowhere, a little 4-year old flashed the cutest smile at me as she climbed into my lap.
Whew…I sat there and just smiled, trying to decipher what in the world just happened. After muttering a silent prayer over each of them while they were entranced by the movie, I came to the conclusion these kids simply enjoyed my presence. It’s not that I’m anything special, but they just loved being in proximity to one they know cares about them. I didn’t get to TELL them I cared for them as we sat there in the flickering movie light and I didn’t even offer them any real affection to SHOW them I cared for them…they just knew and wanted to somehow be beside me as we sat in the stillness and silence. In my eyes, that’s quite an honor.
Anyway, these wonderful children reminded me of an important life lesson. A lesson about one of the most powerful things God has given us as adults…our presence. Kids, yes even those perplexing teenagers, draw comfort and security from knowing we are close to them and although the ring of proximity does shift outward as they get older, kids of all ages genuinely like to be with those they know love and care for them. Gifts aren’t needed and oftentimes words aren’t even necessary…just a willingness to “be” in proximity to them and an open heart that loves them…just like Jesus did in the Gospels. Remember that?
Lesson learned? Purposefully be there for your kids. Purposefully be there for the kids of others. The security of knowing they “belong” to you is something children hunger for and thrive in. Have a wonderful and hopefully warm February afternoon…go love on some kids! 🙂
Landon <><
Photo by Alex Litvin via Unsplash.com
