Holding hands- Thad

Sometimes, I have the chance to pick up Cayson from school during the week when I don't have to be at school until late at night. When I pick him up, the first thing he does (after running up to me with a big ol' smile on his face) is grab my hand as we start walking home. Now, on any given day he would grab my hand and I wouldn't think anything of it. I've held his hand since he was able to walk and have ever since then. Every once in a while though, I sit back and think of how much this otherwise simple, interpersonal contact means to me and how much I miss holding my mom's hand. Ever since I was little, my mom made it a habit to hold my hand. All the memories I have walking with her, whether in the mall, walking from the car to the grocery store, or even just walking together, consisted of her grabbing my hand and holding it tight. She knew how to hold a hand and she was good at it! I remember being in junior high and high school and hearing/seeing other kids become extremely embarrassed when their parent tried holding their hand in public. I, on the other hand, was very proud to be holding hands with my favorite person in the world. As a kid, I knew how much this simple task meant to me, but now, as a parent, I have a small glimpse of what it meant to her. There is no better feeling in the world than when that small hand grabs yours and a quick glimpse is caught of your child with a smile on their face, happy to be there with you, walking beside you, hand in hand. I held my mother's hand until the day that she passed away and while I don't remember every single time, I know now that it meant so much to her, more than it probably ever meant to me.  Parents, grab your kid's hands and start making a habit of it, and kids, hold your parent's hands unexpectedly next time you are with them and watch the response you get. My money is on a smile.