I've Been Benched

My newly minted four year old
can now do everything by himself.
Or so he tells me.
You should see him lecturing me
on what a big boy he is
while he combs his hair in four
different directions.
And now the big boy’s little brother
only wants the big boy to help
him take off his shoes and jacket.
I get called in off the bench to
assist with a pesky zipper
or to give some socks a pull but
really I’m left to freak out and panic
about toddlers becoming big boys
and big boys turning to…well I
won’t even say it.

And as I was driving my boys home
from music class and lunch out together
I thought that life feels like sand falling through
your fingers. Life is moving quick-
sometimes hard to tell if you don’t have
little things growing right in front of you—
but it was a sweet reminder to work hard
because soon my time raising my boys to
become good and godly men will be over.