The Unexpected

It surprises me, love does. My nephew Chris is staying here with my parents in Utah.

He's only thirteen.

He makes me smile.

I only see him once a year, maybe less. I wish I could see him more often.

I have a tender spot in my heart for the boy. It sort of crept up on me yesterday when I watched him a few hours after his parents and family had left. He was there, on the couch, just looking sort of lost. I couldn't help but feel love for him. I wondered what was going through his thirteen-year-old mind. What did he think about being away from his family like that?

And then I got to spend the day with him. He's sweet. He's sort of still in the young, unsure of himself phase. But he is surprisingly kind. No sarcasm. No angst. Just a kid trying to find himself.

When I look at him, I see so much of my brother. I see so much of his youth and so much of his good heart.

It is a beautiful thing to love someone. It's a gift to be able to see them, really see them, and know how important they are. Even with the imperfections. It's especially beautiful when you recognize just how much you love someone in those unexpected moments.