"Because My Grandma LOVES Them!"

I live on an acre, out in the country, in Michigan, in the farmhouse my grandparents built back in the 1920's. In my front and side yard are six very large maple trees. In my back yard, behind the double-stall garage is the most enormous maple tree I've ever seen - it reaches far above the roof of the garage and spans beyond the sides of the garage - on both sides! It is absolutely enormous! We also have one very, very tall sycamore tree, three birch trees and several other trees - including about a dozen pine trees.

These trees provide wonderful shade for my house and yard throughout the summer and are just beautiful as their leaves change colors in the fall - lots of bright yellows, some oranges, and a truly incredible red! 

They also have millions . . . yes millions of leaves (my husband is VERY thankful for his tractor and leaf bagger!!!)

So, why do I mention all these trees and leaves? Because a few years ago my then five year old grandson, was absolutely CONVINCED his grandma (me) loved leaves. Wait. Did I say, "loved"? I would more accurately have reflected his opinion to have said; "LOVED!!!" Since he LOVED his grandma (me) and he was certain I LOVED leaves, he often came running into my house holding a leaf . . . and since it was Fall, and the leaves were steadily falling off the trees, there was no shortage of leaves for him to bring to me! My husband (his Poppa) asked him why he was bringing me a leaf, and he said; "Because my grandma LOVES them!"

Why was he so convinced I loved, LOVED leaves? Did I really? Well, no. I did not LOVE or even love leaves, but I absolutely LOVE him! I LOVED, with no end, being able to see his face light up, his eyes twinkle, and a smile which reached from one side of his sweet face to the other when he ran into my house with a leaf in his hands. I LOVED being able to hug him and say, "Thank you!!!" to him, with heart-felt sincerity, for his gift of love to me. He saw my smile, felt my hug, heard me say; "Thank you!!!!", and he was happy - and he was more CONVINCED his grandma (me) LOVED leaves . . . it is really this incredibly sweet boy who I LOVE . . . without a doubt! It is his sweet heart of wanting to give to his grandma (me) something he believed I valued and in so doing he was giving me what is most valuable to me . . . him and his love for me!

The leaves are just beginning to turn and fall, so we have many more weeks of leaves falling off our trees, but now my grandsons are too old to continue to bring me leaves. However, when I look at them I remember those tangible expressions of a sweet five-year-old's love for his grandma (me)! I feel most blessed!