What a Miracle Taught Me

I'm sitting here overwhelmed...overwhelmed with tears flowing from a heart touched by God. Over the last couple weeks I started working with my little friend who I will call "L". "L" is an incredibly special child who for no medically known reason was born not moving and no heart beat. But today, years later, I got to hold him, snuggle with him, play tactile, and be overwhelmed with God's love flowing through him. "L" has been gifted at a very young age with a lot of patience. To have a Rookie like me being thrown into his life, his cares and all the things that go into making sure that "L" lives to the fullest each day is a lot. And yet I love it! Even when I make mistakes "L" continues to forgive and forget - even when I make the same mistake multiple times. One of the greatest things this miracle (and his incredible family) taught me was that you can look all you want at his diagnosis and the sacrifices people around him have to make for him but you will ultimately fall short of stepping into the world of love until you see that "L" has had to make sacrifices too - and none of them were his choice. To depend on someone to do so much for you and to do it with such love and grace and patience...it touches my heart every time I think about it. He accepts so much that has to be done for him even when he doesn't want it to be done and he does it with such grace and love! My heart soars every time he turns to look at me to say hi with his eyes :) A family friend told me today that when you hug "L" it's like God is reaching through "L" to hug you back. "L" through his love has taught me to be gentle with myself, to forgive myself when I mess up, and to not be afraid to do what it takes to grow each and every day. "L" has taught me to not be so self-centered and prideful, but to look and depend on God just as he depends on the people around him for food and other daily activities of living. I'm always taking a few hours to pray before a shift with him because I know "L" is fragile and any little mistake I make could have a downward, cascading effect. And yet every shift, even the rough ones, I walk out feeling carried in the arms of Jesus through every snuggle, every hug,and every look that "L" gives me.