Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXLII

Sometimes I look at Lake and Lennon, my two little grandchildren, and I wonder if it's even possible for a stronger love to exist than what I have for them. They are six and two respectively, so they are still at ages where they are completely dependent on adults for their care and supervision. Fortunately for them, they were born to an intelligent set of parents who would be willing to give everything, including their lives, for the sake of their children, which means I can go to bed at night without worrying about how they will be cared for in their home. I can only wish the same set of circumstances held true for every child in America...or the world. You see, some children, through no fault of their own, were born into families where the degree of love of which I've been speaking is just not present. I've often wondered how I would react if I knew that Lake and Lennon were being physically abused, but I believe I can get some idea of what my reaction would be when I think of how angry it makes me to hear of kids I don't even know who are being tormented by those who are supposed to be their caregivers. As I mentioned earlier, when they are very young, like mine are, they are totally dependent on adults for their survival, which means that they have to trust their parents and grandparents with their very lives. If a child can't even trust their own parents or grandparents, what kind of chances do they have at life? Though they are sometimes difficult to enforce, there are laws on the books to protect innocent children from adults who would physically abuse them, but unfortunately, those laws only cover "physical abuse." In my opinion, there is another type of abuse that can have just as devastating and long-lasting effects on children, and that is verbal abuse. I'm not an attorney, so I can't speak with authority on what laws exist and what they cover, but I believe verbal abuse would be much more difficult to control. The trouble is, words may be even more damaging to the future of a child than clubs would be...and it doesn't take many destructive words to do the job. Earlier today, I was thinking about times in my life when I've received compliments and other times when I've been told how badly I've performed. (I'm talking about what I've heard from people in general, not my parents.) To my dismay, it seems like the ones I remember most vividly are the words that hurt, but I believe that is human nature. If I'm that way as an adult, how much more true it must be for a child. It makes me want to pray every morning, "Dear Lord, please help me guard my tongue today so that I don't say anything that would destroy the confidence of any child. Instead, let my mouth speak words that build and encourage." As far as Lake and Lennon are concerned, when they are in my home under my care, there will be times when I will have to give them words of correction and instruction, but they will be done with love and with directions on how to do right. Furthermore, they will hear me tell them that they can be anything they want to be. It doesn't matter that one of them was born with special needs....she can be anything she wants to be. I'm so thankful God gave them to us, and I have to also say, thank God they have the parents they have. The opportunities for those two precious children are limitless....they have a family that is gonna see to it. Preston