When Eliza two years old and starting to express herself quite clearly with words her parents left her with me for several nights and went out of town. She obviously missed them. She asked about them. She looked out the big front window hoping to see them coming up the walk, and at times she even cried for them. One evening, just as I was getting ready to tuck Eliza into bed they called to see how things were going. I told them Eliza definitely missed them, but we were getting along quite well. At the tail end of our conversation they asked to talk to their first-born little girl. I went to where she was playing in the house and said with grandmotherly excitement, “Eliza, come here, mommy and daddy are on the phone and they want to talk to you!” To my total surprise and Eliza refused to come to the phone. She continued to play as if she had absolutely not interest in talking to her very home sick parents. Maybe she didn’t understand. “Look Eliza,” I said holding the phone up to her disinclined ear. “It’s your mommy. She wants to talk to you!” No response! So, I took another approach. “Eliza, your mommy and daddy miss you so much. They really want to say hi to you. Please talk to them. Say Hi mommy!” But Eliza held firm. Her non- response turned to a frown and a “No!” Not one word escaped her little pink lips. “Sorry Jen,” I said, feeling a little embarrassed and empathizing with my daughter, so far away from her baby. “ She won’t talk. I think she’s a little angry and she’s showing it.”
That day my heart went out to this loving, very confused, and relatively new mother. My heart also went out to my Heavenly Father. I saw the parallel between Eliza’s behavior towards her earthly parents and my own behavior toward those Heavenly Parents who have actually allowed and encouraged me to leave home for a long awaited, apparently well deserved, and very necessary time away. I wondered about the times I have refused to speak to Them even though I so obviously miss them. Maybe I’m a little like Eliza, angry about the whole separation idea and showing it. Even though, according to scripture, I know I agreed to it, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
This morning I told my now much older, much wiser Granddaughter Eliza that I was writing about her today. I rehearsed the above story. She laughed. Then I asked her, “Eliza, if you were in the same position today and your parents called to say hi and to see how you were doing, would you refuse to talk to them?”
“Of course not!” she giggled.
“Why?” I questioned.
“Well, I would know that they are my parents, and that they really need me to talk now, because they only have so many minutes on their cell phone.”
“OK, anything else?” She thought a minute.
“I would know that they are going to come back…I know that everyone needs a little break every once in a while, and…Oh ya…I love them!”
Eliza has learned some important things in regard to her parents since her first solo experience. These things make her not only willing but excited to get a call from mom and dad. Eliza and I decided that four words sum up the feelings she has developed. Respect, Trust, Understanding, and Love.
It’s not so different with my willingness to communicate with my Heavenly Father. Step 11 is the step of seeking to improve our communication with the Lord. There’s a reason it’s Step 11 and not Step 1. Eliza’s respect, trust, understanding, and love for her parents were not automatic. It was not “a given.” These things took time and experience to develop. Likewise it takes time and experience for us to grow in our respect, trust, understanding, and love of God. This earth life experience provides the time. Applying Steps 1-10 provides the experience. If we make good use of our time and are thorough in taking the first 10 Steps we will not have to be persuaded or begged to take a call from God. We will actively listen for His call to us! The best news is that our communication with Our Heavenly Parent will never be cut short because He is running low on cell phone minutes!
By Nannette W.
Posted Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit. This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
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