Dear Mom it is good to share

Dear Mom it is good to share

I remember you saving the last piece of cake for me. I remember you asking me if wanted the last piece of pizza. I can remember you making popcorn, walking into the room and setting it so it was right within my arms reach but slightly out of yours. You shared a lot.

When Claire was smaller we were sitting in the big chair watching a movie and sharing a bowl of popcorn. She would occasionally pull the bowl in with both arms. “Let me have some.” I told her, “It is good to share.”

“You are eating it all!” she exclaimed guardedly pulling on the popcorn bowl.

Where had I gone wrong? “It is okay to share the popcorn.” I told her, “we can make more if we run out.” Though she offered the bowl a little closer to me she was stuffing the popcorn in her mouth now as fast as she could as if I she could get her share before I ate it all.

I had thought I encouraged sharing. I was certain I had made a big deal about this every chance I got. I may have increased my awareness some. I started saving the last bite for her whenever I was eating. “This last bite is for you.” I would announce, “I am saving it for you, because you are my favorite girl.” At first she would gobble up whatever it was but then I noticed something. She would do it too. She would hand me the last chicken nugget. “I saved the last bite for you Daddy.” I would gladly take the last nugget and eat it admiring my handiwork. Now such things are commonplace. Where once she would throw away her melted uneaten ice cream cone just so no one else would eat it she now offers it to me. “I am finished Daddy, do you want it?”

A few months went by and again we were sitting in the big chair. Our popcorn propped right between us. “I saved the last bite for you,” I said. “No,” she answered, “I was saving the last bite for you.”

“That’s okay,” I insisted, “you can have it.”

“No Daddy, you take it. I want you to have it.” She offered the piece right to my mouth. I ate it.

“Thank you Sweetie, did you know you are my favorite girl?”

“And you are my favorite Daddy.” This came with a big hug and a big salty popcorn flavored kiss.

And I was worried?

Love Mike