He craves the human touch.

Tonight we're sitting by the trampoline and the wood fence trying to lure the neighbor's kitten, Maggie, into our yard with a dandelion. She's surprisingly easy to lure. Just shake a common weed through the fence and she can't help herself. She's coming over.

Maddie is in charge of the luring, because she knows how best to do it. Never mind we're just shaking a weed at Maggie to make her come under the fence into our yard.

Max and I are sitting in the grass watching Maddie do it best and his hand goes to my back.

Not to get my attention, just because he's talking to me. I swat at a mosquito on my arm and he pulls away. A minute later he puts his hand back where it was. "Remember the other night when Dad showed me that flip he can do?" [On the trampoline.]

I look at him, waiting for the joke or the goofy voice. No, he just wants to share that flip, earnestly.

"Yeah, I remember. That was fun," I tell him.

"I love those flips."

Sometimes at dinner, when he's sitting next to Logan he puts his hand on his back while he eats his dinner. He keeps shoveling food into his mouth, but his hand rests on Logan's back. It's as if he doesn't notice he's touching the person sitting next to him.

It's like he feels grounded by physically touching the person next to him.

It heals me.

Comments

[Nancy King]

So cool...isn't it?

[Nicole Barczak]

That is the sweetest thing ever!

[Krys72599]

It works for me. I mentioned to my husband once that I love it when he touches my hair - he never used to do that. He said he was worried he'd mess it up! Now he makes a point of it. We'll be sitting at my sister-in-law's house and he'll walk behind my chair and just touch my hair. I feel loved, calmed. I understand how Max feels.

[TeriLynn]

Oh! That brought a tear to my eye. He's such a great kid.

I love this whole scene.

[Mitzi]

He's absolutely precious. Thanks for sharing that.

[Susan]

I have one who does that too. I love it.

[Amy]

Beautifully written. Thank you for sharing that. Brought a much needed smile today.

[juliloquy]

oh - beautiful.

[boilermomof4]

I love how you have described this, and am now left feeling like the world's largest asshole. My oldest two are this way and I cannot sit on the couch for 5 minutes before one of them notices me, gets up from whereever they are and plops down practically on top of me. I guess I must look lonely alot. I often sigh and ask them to scoot over. Asshole I am.

[jkopftwins]

I agree -- the best feeling in the world was when my girls were old enough to reach out on their own to give me a hug or a pat on the arm, just because they wanted to.

Between the back pat and the Boy Scout uniform, Max solidifies his status as one of the cutest EVER.

[bec]

Beautiful. I'm glad that you have these tiny moments of joy to savor.

[Jessica]

That brought tears to my eye for its simplistic beauty. And it healed me a little bit just reading it. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Lacy]

So sweet, thanks so much for sharing.

[SueFromOhio(nowfromSC)]

My Jakob is 7 and he does the exact same thing. He also likes to touch my face (which I don't like but am learning to live with).

I hope this means our boys will grow up to be gentle, caring men who adore their own wives and children. It gives me hope :)

[Sue]

Melissa, this is so sweet and perfect.

[Chicago Chick]

I would love it if one of my boys did that to his brother. Right now, one of them is only interested in poking the other's eye.