Saturday was grass-cutting day. This is a chore I dread because I lack the strength to start the lawnmower. Since some tasks are easier for men, and starting a lawnmower is one of them, sometimes I do succeed in getting it started, but not this day. Have you heard that women can do almost anything a man can? Well, that sounds good, but from my experience, it isn’t always so. God created us differently. I’ve come to realize this more and more since I lost my husband.
Before I had time to complain to God about my predicament, I saw my neighbor in his yard. I quickly went over to ask him to start the lawnmower. My neighbor, Mike, stopped what he was doing, and came right over to help.
The youngest of his children, three-yearold Ross, was standing with him. I watched the little boy follow right behind him, almost matching him step-by-step. This time the lawnmower wouldn’t start, even for him. Mike immediately went to get his tools to fix the problem. As he started to his garage, so did his little boy. He returned with a few tools in hand, and walking with him, holding some of his play tools, was Ross. Mike stooped down and began looking at the lawnmower, unscrewing nuts and bolts, with Ross stooping right besides him, imitating everything he did. It was a picture I will carry with me for a long time, father and son sharing such a special bond.