He slips his hand into mine. His fingers are long, grubby: his nails a little scraggy. But his skin is smooth and soft, the pudginess long gone. He grasps my hand tight, claiming his ownership.
He slips his hand into mine. With purpose but without. Not to pull me somewhere. Not to cross the street or jump a puddle. Not to shy away from someone else. Just because. He is happy and carefree. The day is beautiful. He wants to share this with me.
He slips his hand into mine. Our chromosomes touch and connect. My womb contracts. It recognizes this skinny creature that it created, once balls of cells, now growing tall, handsome, sucking in food and knowledge and the thrills of boyhood with equal measure and hunger.
He slips his hand into mine and I hold on tight. One day, this may be an anathema to him; totally uncool.
He slips his hand into mine and my brain inflates, grasping to capture the sensation and retain the memory of every time he has held my hand in his seven and a quarter years.
He slips his hand into mine. My heart swells and gushes. This moment completes me.
Kathryn-Ann O'Brien (@KAOB)
/ March 25, 2012Beautiful.
samanthamcgarry
/ March 25, 2012Thanks; felt really good writing it.
farfromhomemama
/ March 25, 2012This makes me sigh and smile. Beautiful. Moments don’t get better than this. x
samanthamcgarry
/ March 25, 2012Thank you so much.
Heather Stephens
/ March 26, 2012This brought tears to my eyes….. My son is only 7 and I feel like it’s going by so quickly. He is going through a cuddling isn’t cool phase (I hope it’s a phase) and so this hit me right where I live. Well done!
samanthamcgarry
/ March 26, 2012Thanks Heather; it’s overwhelming how time flies and moments like when they (willingly) hold your hand are visceral to me.
shoes
/ March 27, 2012Oh wow. This is just so beautiful. It caused me to tear up, knowing my hand holding days are numbered.
WallyMummy
/ October 5, 2012That is really beautiful
came over form the Britmums literary roundup xxx really glad I did too! xxx
samanthamcgarry
/ October 5, 2012Thank you so much!
Asturian Diary
/ January 9, 2013Beautiful, beautiful post.
samanthamcgarry
/ January 9, 2013thank you so much; writing it felt really really good!
Heather Keppeler
/ April 9, 2013Nicely done! Captured a great moment in time there, and I hope you can take it out periodically to remind yourself of it.
Alison Wines
/ April 10, 2013Just lovely. You should keep this to give to your beautiful boy on the day he becomes a father himself.
samanthamcgarry
/ April 10, 2013Thank you! That’s a great idea. Wonder how blogs will have evolved by then.