“Don’t cry, just relax...”

I was reading a sad story in the Liahona magazine which made me cry earlier. Hendrik was playing with his racing car beside me on the bed, and he noticed of my sobbing. He stopped and asked, “Are you crying Mommy?” I said, “Yes. The story is so sad, that’s why I am crying.” Then he grabbed a hand towel which was hanging on his cot, and wiped my tears away. He said, “Don’t cry. Just relax”. As the tears were flowing from my eyes, he wiped it again and again to make them disappear. He repeatedly said these words to me, “Don’t cry. Just relax and read.” (I would normally tell him not to cry and just relax whenever he is bothered by his coughs and colds) Then, I did deep breaths and told him that I would relax. 

As I continued reading the story, I cannot help but shed some more tears. I was deeply touched by the true story about a poor girl from Brazil who struggled and worked very hard to improve her life. The story is not uncommon among poor families in the Philippines where the mother and children were abandoned by the father; meager food, flattened cardboard boxes for bed, children working at such a young age with no education. But in the story, the author was able to obtain a scholarship from the government for a public schooling, until she was converted in the Church, served a mission, and through her association with a missionary companion was able to go to the US and studied nursing. Basically, the story was from rags to improved life. For full story click here: http://lds.org/liahona/2011/06/the-power-of-education?lang=eng&query=education

As Hendrik noticed that I was still crying. He again grabbed the hand towel, wiped my tears and repeated the words, “Don’t cry Mommy. Just relax and read.” This time he also gave me a hug and looked me in the eye. Haaaayyyyy… I am so blessed and grateful to have him.

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