My Sweet Nick

Nick is a wonderful child. He's good-natured, friendly, and a big huggy bear. Even though he is already in the 4th grade and tall for his age, he still kisses/hugs me in front of his friends before he get on or off the bus. When he makes a new friend, (which he does WHEREVER he goes) he is sure to hug them and say, "Hey dude! You should come over to my house sometime!" Does NOT matter WHO they are or HOW popular they are at school...Nick is there for them. He does not seem to be aware of those unspoken elementary school rules of behavior,group divisions or relationships. Peer pressure does not exist in his mind. Nick simply does what is deep in his heart... what is right...completely naturally, completely unaware of what others think. It blows my mind!

For example, at lunchtime at his public school, Nick always crosses himself and says his prayer before he eats. He is clueless about the fact that the other kids DON'T pray before they eat, but he does it anyway. For awhile there, some of his classmates were joining him in this silent prayer before lunch. He was not aware of it, but they were praying with him. Nick's best friend is Ricky. Ricky's mom told me that Nick's lunch-time prayer habit had made such an impression on Ricky, that her son would not even chew a piece of GUM without crossing himself and saying a prayer before he ate it!

While I know that Nick's sweetness and simple love of God may not last forever, his lesson about doing the right thing, no matter what others think or say...will. Thank you, my sweet Nick.