Everyday Miracles

Miracle Moment

On Thursday, my 5 year old son returned home with his nap blanket, one day earlier than usual. When I asked him why, he hesitated for a while and then told me he shared it with his friend, Sandra. The following morning I received the most moving email from his teacher explaining the story behind the blanket.
During relaxation period, Damiano (my son) preferred to finish some work instead of taking a nap. Meanwhile, his classmate Sandra was feeling particularly cold that day, so he offered her his wool blanket. After he finished his work, he decided to check if Sandra was warm, and what happened next will melt your heart. He lay down by her side and wrapped his arm around her to ensure she'd stay warm (insert proud mama moment here). I'm sharing this story because that same night, I was reading a powerful book that said, "God very often plays man. God will do nothing without man and whenever He works a miracle it is always done through man." As much as I can claim my son to be compassionate and kind, I believe God came through him in that act. The relationship between the two of them isn't always blissful, which is why I give credit to God.
Sandra is a special child. She was born with an allergy to light and most recently was diagnosed colour blind. Needless to say, the two diagnostics combined make her unique. Damiano and Sandra are far from being best friends. Their relationship includes sharing, playing, bickering, and plenty of arguing. Yet on that day, something deep within his soul unlocked. He brought His light to comfort her, to keep her warm. Ironic that although she may be averse to light, the greatest comfort was being warmed by His light. The cutest part of this story was the picture I received as proof that this did indeed happen. Notice his arm hugging her.
As a habitual hugger, I feel that a hug is socially underestimated. The most powerful exchange of energy between an adult and child, is a hug. With the vibration of heartbeats and the quality of our breathing, we can feel the present state of another human being. If the heart beats quickly and the breath is shallow, you know you gotta squeeze a little tighter.  I call this particular hug a "lemon squeeze". It whispers, "Be at ease. I am here for you." Sadly, most of us don't consider a hug that special. But let me tell you a secret. There's power in softening someone's edge with a lemon squeeze.
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we're taught that being strong means being hard. Well here's some 2017 breaking news - soft is the new strong! Show your children the value in softness. It requires much less effort for light to shine through a glass window than a brick wall. It also requires much less effort to be vulnerable than guarded. At a time in the world where our sense of security is constantly being discussed, I urge you to let go of some apprehension. There are 7 billion people in the world, most of which offer miracles every minute, yet we sensationalize evil acts instead.
The story of my son is simply an everyday miracle that most would overlook. I felt the need to share because I was deeply moved by this miracle. It gave me hope for anyone with a disability, that there are people who'll look past your condition to connect with your soul. And for all humanity, know that you can choose to be hard on yourself and others, or you can courageously soften, so you can warm others with your light. Go out into the world today with love on your sleeve, miracles on your mind, and the possibility that through your softness, God will come through. Stay soft, but hug hard!