The Boy Is The Joy Of My Life

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Connie_Wayne]Connie Wayne
In 1913, Henry van Dyke wrote a story in which he describes a boy as the joy of the journey. On a pilgrim journey, "The boy is the joy" and "a refreshing spring of water to the older pilgrims". That story resonates with me because I am an older pilgrim now, and my youngest grandson is the "Boy is the Joy in my current life's journey...
It was my 65th birthday, and my two-year old "Boy is the Joy" thought that he had climbed the stairs to my loft apartment without me knowing he had arrived. He snuck up the stairs and landed in my living room where I was sitting at my desk acting as if I did not know he was there. With great delight, he exclaimed, "It's me again!"
As always, Grandma acted surprised and questioned, "Who is me?" This was a ritual with us because he always takes great pride in telling me who he is. He loves to see my reaction and how excited that I am that "Me" has come to visit again. "Me" knows that he is Grandma's "Boy is the Joy".
Immediately upon telling me who he is, he always asks, "Where's my toys? Where's my books?" He knows that Grandma has special things for him to play with when he visits; but, more importantly, Grandma sits in the floor and plays with him. We play with cars, airplanes, and "diggers," which to him are any kind of construction equipment. We also build towers, roads, bridges, and garages out of large Lego blocks, and we read books together. His two-year-old intellect and verbal skills amaze me!
The "Boy is the Joy" arrived in my life at a time when I needed joy resurrected. My older brother, whom I dearly loved and who was my first "Boy is the Joy," died just two months before my grandson made his grand entrance to life.
Since she was very young, my youngest daughter always wanted a boy for her first child. Even though she had a difficult delivery, she was very excited he had finally arrived. I was there, standing near my daughter's hospital bed; when I saw "Boy is the Joy" emerge into this world. The doctor and the obstetrical nurses moved me away from my daughter's bedside and quickly began to work with her. Because those attending her surrounded her bed, she was unaware of what was happening with her newborn son. "Boy is the Joy" was a blue baby, and he was not breathing.
I moved aside and stood nearby trying to watch my daughter and "Boy is the Joy" at the same time. As I watched the pediatric nurses begin to work with my grandson, I saw their concern as they discussed how many minutes had passed since he was born. There I stood looking at a beautiful, healthy, strong baby boy whom my daughter had already named, and he still was not breathing. Aware that my daughter was well attended, I turned my full attention to him.
As the two nurses continued to work with him, I silently prayed. As seconds turned into minutes, I felt that prayer was not enough. I needed to do something else. That is when, without thinking, I called out his name and cried, "Come on!" At that exact moment, "Boy is the Joy" began to breathe; and, ever since that moment, I believe that my "Boy is the Joy" and I have had a special bond.
Sometimes I look at my "Boy is the Joy" and wonder if a little of my departed brother's essence somehow made its way into him. My "Boy is the Joy" grandson has the same joy for living my "Boy is the Joy," older brother had. When he looks at me and laughs, I wonder, "Brother, are you laughing at me again?
I feel that, in some small way, I had a part in my "Boy is the Joy" grandson coming into this world, and he came at such a wonderful time in my life, a time when I needed another "Boy is the Joy." I am an older pilgrim now, and the "Boy is the Joy" and a refreshing spring of water to me.
Connie Wayne is a (USA) Internet Author who writes articles for several blogs she has designed. Connie invites you connect to these blogs via her website at: http://enchantedmagazinepublications.weebly.com/
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Boy-Is-The-Joy-Of-My-Life&id=6514209] The Boy Is The Joy Of My Life