A precocious little seven-year-old girl (her brother is playing Colin in the Secret Garden, where Chris is playing Dickon)asked me last night, "Mr. Dean, what is your very favorite thing in the world to do?" All kinds of things flashed through my mind, and suddenly it was clear; I told her, "Right now my very favorite thing in the world to do is to hold my grandson." (Her very favorite thing was swimming.)
I know that time will move on and all the inevitable changes will come. But right now it is the greatest delight to me when you reach your little arms out to me. It makes my heart swell with joy when it makes you sad that I leave. Your arrival has made life even more complete than it already was!
I know that I will not be carrying you around much longer. I know that soon words will replace your cute little syllables that you think is speech. I know that with each day changes come, and that the day may come when I am not the one you really want to be with. But for now you make my day everytime I see you and get to hold you.
I hope that we will always be able to be close. I hope that I can take you to the donut shop, and that I can come and root for you at soccer, baseball, or whatever sport you might play. I hope that I can proudly point out to others, "That is my grandson," through many years to come.
One day, instead of me holding you and "totting" you around, you may be having to lift me out of a chair so that I can get around. I hope I can hang around long enough to see you grow into a man.
Above all, I hope for you those things that are truly important in life.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE LOVE. I know that you could not be loved more, not just by me, but by your wonderful parents, and MeeMaw, and by your Uncles and all your family on both sides. But I hope that you will always be loved truly and deeply. I pray now that the day will come that you will find a woman who will love you with all her heart until you both leave this world.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE INQUISITIVE. I hope that you will develop a desire to know - to know whatever about everything that you can know. I hope that you will have a never dying curiosity that will make all of life an adventure.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS WALK THE PATH TO HEAVEN. I know that Momma and Daddy will do all they can to set you down that path. I know that MeeMaw and I will try to help with that, too. This is what I wish for you above all.
But, for now, I will take such pleasure each time your little arms reach out for me. I will enjoy every "honk" that you want from me as you squeeze my nose. I will grin as I listen to you babble on as we look at all those things that amaze you so. I will relish every minute of the time that God allows me to enjoy you.
And I say to you, though you do not yet fully comprehend the words, that I love you. And while life changes, that never will.
PawPaw
