Last night, after an evening of being totally irritated with my oldest son, something happened that changed my heart. When I went to make sure that he was asleep, he asked, “Mom, can we talk?”
I sat on his bed as he opened up to me, and shared his very tender feelings. His day hadn’t gone well, and finally, after 10:00 at night, he was ready to talk. It nearly broke my heart to hear him say, “I just don’t feel smart. I don’t feel like I am worth anything. I wonder, ‘Why me?’, and what I am on the earth for.”
We spoke heart-to-heart for quite a while, and worked through his feelings. Of course, I knew much of how he felt, but hearing this little boy –almost eleven-years-old- say them so sadly, reminded me of how fragile this tough guy is. He needed love and reassurance, and my irritation was replaced with love.
When I was young, I too seemed to want to talk to my mother late at night, when all she probably wanted to do was to sleep. However, my mom always listened when I was ready to open up.
Similarly, I know that Father in Heaven is always there to hear my cries and concerns. He never has something that is more important or urgent than you and me. When we are ready to talk, he is near-eager to encircle us with the love and reassurance we so desperately need.
I am grateful for the opportunity I had last night to really listen to the feelings of my son’s heart, and to promise him that his life was incredibly important. . I told him that Father in Heaven loves him so much, and he would send the Spirit to teach him of his worth.
Before we said good night, he plastered me with a bear hug and just held onto me. The love I have for him filled my heart, and I knew all the struggles I encounter because of him, were worth it.
Likewise, our Father loves us, even more than we can comprehend. We need not fear him, or worry that he will not accept us. He loves you and me perfectly and is ready to hear the tender feelings of our hearts.
