On My Heart: I got you

One humid afternoon this past July, Brighton was running and chasing bubbles as they flew into the air. Suddenly her flip flop caught on a small dip in the sidewalk and down she went, landing on her knees and hands. She stood up as we ran to her, her lower lip pushed out, tears in her eyes and held out her hands, the tender skin scraped and red, her knees bleeding slightly. I wrapped her up in my arms as she cried, and whispered into her ear over and over, "Baby I'm so sorry. Mama is here. I got you. Don't be sad, I got you baby." Slowly, she stopped crying, wiping her eyes on my shoulder, and let me tend to her wounds.

Ever since that afternoon, every time she has fallen and cried, or was scared or worried, or needed to be comforted, the words that always worked to calm and reassure her were, "I got you. Don't worry, don't be sad, mama's got you. I got you baby."

One cold afternoon this past December, I sat on the couch in our living room reading a book while Brighton sat on the floor nearby, wrapping her baby dolls in blankets and changing their clothes. She wrapped one baby in a blanket carefully and cradled it in her arms. Then I heard her whisper, "It's ok baby. I gots you."

I watched her pat her baby doll's back, my heart swelling at seeing my child show such love and care as I had to her. I felt big, fat tears run down my cheeks and a sob rise up in my throat. Brighton looked up at me for a moment, noticing my crumpled face and asked "Why you crying mama?" I replied, "Oh it's ok baby. I'm ok."Brighton laid her baby doll on the ground and climbed into my lap, wrapping her arms around me, her little soft hands patting my back. I hugged her back tightly, trying to choke back my sobs and as I wiped tears from my cheeks with a hand, she whispered into my neck, "Aw, don't be sad Mama. I gots you. I gots you."

We forget how our every day actions, the little things that in the moment seem so insignificant, can shape our children's character. A moment of providing comfort and security to her baby doll and then a moment of providing the same to me reminded me that all those times I have held her in my arms and said the same things over and over mattered. Maybe even more than all the other things I have tried to teach her so far. Because maybe being there for another person when they need it and reminding them that you "got" them, is the best demonstration of love you can offer. I sure hope so.