Communicating Love

Over eight years ago I joined the Big Brother/Big Sister program. After meeting with a counselor within the program, I was introduced to a kind, but no-nonsense lady who was looking for a male figure to mentor her grandson. She took a liking to me and within the week I was introduced to her 12-year-old grandson. This young boy has now become a young man and is now too old to be considered a little brother. But he will always be my "little brother" much as he will always be my friend and, dare I say it, th son I never had. I have blessed to have him in my life.

Last week, his grandmother died. She lived alone and apparently had been gone for several days before her body was discovered. Even though I am purposefully not mentioning her by name nor sharing too many details about her life in order to honor the privacy of her and her family, this entry is a small tribute to a woman who took me into her heart. I also honor this person because she demonstrated that love is a feeling that is communicated not just by words or Cole Porter songs or flowers on special occasions, but by deed and determination and, at times, grit. Love is not always easy to give when the person to whom it is directed is behaving badly or whose attention is directed elsewhere. But love, nevertheless, is at its most inspiring when it is given in times of neglect and turmoil and doubt.

In the years I knew this lady, she faced many challenges with those she loved, yet her heart never wavered. She faced many reasons to doubt, yet her heart never faltered. She faced many
moments of neglect, yet her heart never turned elsewhere. Perhaps this lady was not the most articulate of people, but she was a great communicator just the same. She proved that communicating love is the most formidable of connections.