Seth turns 7 today. This boy brings immense delight to my heart.
I’m pretty sure Seth came from us – I was there for most of it. Still, I share her question: Where did that boy come from?
When I arrived home yesterday, Seth had to talk to me. One of his classmates has been having a rough go. Whenever a parent visits their first-grader for lunch, the kid can pick two friends to eat with him out in the courtyard, with the turtles. But, for one boy in Seth’s class, this has not gone well.
“Dad,” Seth said, “you need to come eat lunch with me tomorrow.”
“Why, Seth?”
“Well, whenever a parent comes to eat lunch, ______ always asks nicely if he can eat lunch with them. And no one ever picks him! And he always asks nicely. But still, they always tell him ‘no.’ So, today I told him I would get my dad to come eat lunch with me – and he could eat with us.”
Insert: dad’s tears.
“And, dad, no one plays with him very much either. He likes to sit by me – but he has to sit by the teacher a lot (apparently, he’s a bit of a wild one…). So, dad, you have to come eat lunch with me. Tomorrow.
I did. Of course I did. Noon appointments cancelled, I had a lunch to go to. I was Seth’s co-conspirator in friendship and kindness. Really, I was just watching. And learning.
I love this boy. Happy birthday, Seth. You are a gift to this world.
I love this story and happy birthday to Seth. It sounds like he has a real compassionate heart!
Insert: Brian's tears.
Thanks for sharing Winn. Happy Birthday to Seth.
Kindness and generosity just burst from his heart… I love how he can't help but let it fall out onto everyone around him. I sure miss seeing that kid everyday… I love that little friend of God. Happiest birthday hugs to Seth.
Let me put my Kleenex down first…. What a picture of the way we all need to capture the moment to show love quickly. Happy Birthday Seth! Hope it's a fun day of sweet celebration for th Colliers!
Lindsay Neely
oh, how i love that little guy and his heart. happy birthday to sweet seth!
Those are the moments when the fussy baby, the tantruming toddler and all the other little rough patches along the way fade into nothing. Congrats on raising such a terrific little man. And Happy, Happy Birthday Seth!
Makes this grandmother's heart smile . . . . . after I sop up all the sweat pouring out of my eyeballs. I love this!
Oh how I love Seth's heart! What a gift he is to the world.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Winn. I miss Seth so much. That is the best little buddy of all the little buddies anywhere. A beautiful little man whose heart this world needs badly. Please give him a big hug for me today on his birthday.
Wow! What a picture of God's love funneled through an unsullied young heart! OK, so you really DO need to move so I can teach him next year :)! Happy birthday Seth!
wow…has it been seven years?! i remember eating jolly ranchers in the lobby with chris and corey…
and what a beautiful soul he has- a window into the divine.
That is so awesome!!!