You’d think, wouldn’t you?

Gideon, if you want to go to the store with Dad and Rylie –in the truck- you need to put your coat on.

No.

Gideon, Ry and Dad are leaving –in the truck- in 5 minutes.  If you want to go, you need to be a big boy and put your coat on.

Nawo.

Gus-man.  Ry and Dad are leaving –in the truck.  Grab your coat.

NO!

You watched them from the big porch window… and as the truck turned onto the road and reality sunk in, you panicked.

You grabbed your coat off your hook.

You put it on upside-down and (obviously) unzipped.

You ran outside and down the driveway to the mailbox… but it was too late.

TRUUUUUUCK!

And so I watched you from the big porch window.  Your face red and spitting tears.  Walking back up the driveway so very slow.  It was a hard lesson… for both of us, trust me.

You climbed up the stairs and into the house.  You crawled onto the rug and sobbed in a little ball of HeartBreak.

They came back, of course… long after your tears dried and and your coat was hung back on the wall, they came back.  I told Dad it had been a character-shaping moment for you and we both sighed the sighs of parents who have children with wills of their own.

A half and hour later, he gave you another chance.  Because that’s the kind of dad he is.

Gid!  I’m going in the truck to check on the cows.  You wanna go?  Grab your coat!

And with all the self-esteem you could muster, you squared yourself to the window and yelled,

NO!

You are my heart, Kid.

My big tears, big smiles, wholly-feeling heart.

I love you.

[My love.]