It’s the reason the moon is still orbiting the Earth, and why Green Bay Packer fans endure those Siberian winters. The world of physics coined the term, gravitation, and defined it as, the force of attraction between any two masses. It’s a stunning concept when you ponder it… we don’t have the option of resisting the gravitational pull of the Earth, we are stuck. For a culture that so worships the idea of choice, this has to be unsettling.
Have you ever met a person who you felt powerless to remove from your mind? Someone who was able to pull you in, regardless of your willingness? Caedmon is one of those people. You have seen me type it before, and no doubt you will again, but I wish I was more like him. Caedmon’s gravitational pull was in full effect last week, when he had to say goodbye to Ms. Jennifer.
It was the best goodbye, it was the worst goodbye. Jennifer was interning at PPDC and spent the last few months getting to know Caedmon. Sadly, her session expired on Friday and she had to go back to her home in Georgia. When Jeni went to pick Caedmon up after his last day with Ms. Jennifer, it was worse than watching the Publix Thanksgiving commercials with my sisters. Tears upon tears. The reddish hues of joy mixed with the blue tones of sadness painted the canvas of life in a bittersweet lavender.
What is it? How does a 50 pound kid have such a strong gravitational force? Almost all little kids have a powerful gravitational pull. If you don’t believe me, just watch a newborn baby show up at church. Different quirks can enhance that pull: curly red hair, cute toddler speech idiosyncracies, big eyes, etc. Most of us, even the rough-and-tumble guys, are powerless to the pull of a chubby little one-year-old…why?
Is it their frailty? Their tiny toes? The fact that they don’t judge us? I wonder how much of the latter is true. I have met another little boy, named T.J., and he has sucked me in like driftwood in a whirlpool. The first day I met T.J., he jumped up next to me in the waiting room, gave me a few hugs, and gave me a few kisses on the cheek as well. No judgement. No pretense. No hesitation. Just genuine, innocent affection… for a total stranger. He wasn’t concerned about the fact that I was wearing socks and Crocs.
Not my feet...
You know you have socks like that!!
I have been thinking of Caedmon every day since I left. I miss him so much! Can’t wait to see more pictures and hear how he finished up his last week.
Ryan I too am orbiting Caedmon and am irresistibly drawn to how he makes me feel closer to God when I am around him. When we went to Disney with the family, i could see hear and feel his unrestrained joy and happiness. That was extraordinary and worth more to me than anything in this world. At one point when we were all walking together, I got a keen sense of the strength and bond of your family when Andrew took my hand and decided that we should be buddies riding some of the rides together, I guess what im trying to say is just thank God every day for your family and i can never forget how knowing you folks has enriched my life. Thanks Ryan!