Conversation Of Joy

I have been struggling with a cold for the past week.
I do not have much of a voice when I speak.
Sadly, I am not able to sing.
It has been a week of much needed rest.

My two and a half year old granddaughter was here for the weekend.
What a joy it is to have my grandchildren here.
I use the word, joy, when I describe my family.
It is not cliche.

When it comes to describing children, joy is the perfect word.
All I wanted to do this weekend was sit in a chair with my feet up and relax.
What I wanted and what I needed were two different things.
Grandma’s lap is the place to be, especially when there are books to be read.

I knew my voice didn’t sound like me.
It doesn’t seem to matter to a child.
Grandma is Grandma whether she sounds the same or not.
Grandma’s lap is Grandma’s lap whether there are tissues nearby or not.

I listened to the conversations of a child quite a lot this weekend.
I have come to the conclusion that the conversation of a child is a conversation of JOY.
There is no pretense in what a child has to say.
There is pure honesty, and sweetness, and sincerity.

I was struck by the power of a child’s conversation.

Good morning, Grandma, greeted me each morning with her arms opened wide.
I love you, Grandma, as she touched my cheek.
I’m at Grandma’s house! She said with sheer delight.
I like breakfast at Grandma’s house!

And this was before we even came downstairs in the morning.

I like this song, Grandma.
I love to have eggs.
OOOH, Biscuits and honey!
More milk, please.

I realized that I was hearing a language of pure joy.
Joy in the littlest things.
Joy that made me stop and take notice.
Joy that was contagious.

There was no agenda.
There was just sheer delight in the moment.
There was sweet trust and openness that melted my heart.
Her  joy was a balm to my weary soul.

Pop-Pop took her to a nearby farm.
She fed the goats.
She saw the pony.
She visited the chickens.

She came home with stories.
She made memories with her Pop-Pop that she will remember for a long time.
She took a long nap, exhausted from such a wonderful afternoon.
She woke up excited to have her favorite snack.

I noticed it all weekend.
There was nothing mundane.
There was joyful abandon in the simplest things.
As weary as I was with my cold, I was catching something more important.

I was catching joy.

Are you OK, Grandma? She asked when I was coughing.
Grandma, can you watch Little Bear with me?
She sat on the floor leaning against a big pillow while I sat in my favorite chair.
She wanted me nearby in case there was something a bit scary.

Maurice Sendak’s, Little Bear, has the sweetest stories and characters.
However, to a toddler, a snake slithering along a rock makes them a bit uneasy.
In those moments, she would get up and run over to my chair.
She would stand right next to me with her hand on my knee until the scene was done.

Joy even when something made her a bit afraid.
Joy even when she was tired.
Joy abounded.
Joy was medicine for my soul.

My two other granddaughters came over for dinner.
The three cousins followed each other upstairs to play in toy kitchen.
The three cousins danced in the family room and squealed with delight.
We all remarked at the sheer volume of their joy and exuberance.

When my oldest granddaughter senses that someone is hurting or not feeling well, she acts.
She brings her piggy and her blanket to the person and lays her precious treasures on their arm.
I watch her compassion that is not contrived but genuine.
I tell her that she has such a tender heart.

She does.
I have been the recipient of that tender heart.
I have been the recipient of that boundless joy.
I have been the recipient of such a precious gift.

Children teach us valuable lessons.
Children point to what is possible if we love well.
Children are not born to hate or find fault with others.
Children play alongside, walk alongside, dance together, and sing together.

Children learn separateness.
Children learn prejudice.
Children learn hate.
Children learn despair.

Let’s unlearn those things.
Let’s remove them from our own lives so that they will not be caught by little watching eyes.
Let’s bask in the pure joy of a child.
Let’s keep them as innocent as we can for as long as we can.

The conversation of a child is a conversation of joy.

This is the day the Lord has made. let us be glad and rejoice in it. (Psalm 118:24)