Perfect Moment Monday/Warning Sad Post

I have a Perfect Moment to share this Monday, that truly was just a moment. I feel my heart quicken and my chest tighten even now as I recall this moment. It is a perfect moment with a horribly imperfect beginning or more accurately "ending".

My 10 y/o son has a best friend who we have known ever since they were both infants at the same daycare. As often happens, your children's friends and their families become your friends. Such is the case with this family. The dad of the family, (E), was a landscape contractor we hired to help us redo our backyard 4 years ago. (Don't hire your friends or family to do work but that's another post for another time.) The backyard turned out great with the associated blood, sweat, and tears. Both families are really proud and happy of the result. Flash forward 18 months, (E) is fatally injured in an accident and dies in the Emergency room leaving his wife and two school age children. I remember sitting at the stop light while an ambulance raced by and when my boys fussed about being late for baseball practice, I said, "That might be someone we know or one of us", little did I know how right I was. (E)'s death stunned and grieved us all, but of course none more so than his widow (my dear friend) and their young children. She was worried that friends and family would abandon her, but we have been, are, and will continue to be there for this family. They are now part of our family, the best kind, the kind we choose.

I apologize for the lengthy background, now onto my Perfect Moment which touched my heart so deeply. My son, his friend, and I were in our flower garden where I recently installed a drip irrigation set up for my sprinklers. (I am a woman of many talents, what can I tell you?) My son was showing off my handiwork to his friend which quite amused and flattered me. I said to our friend, this sweet child, "Yes, your dad showed me how to do this, I learned so much from him." The look of joy that suffused our little friend's face filled me with so much happiness and sadness all at once. I realized by talking about his dad, that his father was alive for him once more, if only for that fleeting moment.

So for those few seconds, I had the privilege to take a little of the burden from this small child. My offhand comment affirmed to this boy, "I will remember your dad and he will always be a part of our lives and family."

I have to get some tissues, I'm a teary mess over here. I hope you have a great rest of your day, thank you for listening.