One of those things...

It is a long time between posts, and it is not because there is nothing to say, but rather that I generally feel more of a need to live my life, than merely blog about it. A small reminder of this came last night while I was working in the lab, trying to finish up a few last things before I went home, not long after the sun had set: Xander had his mother call my cell, and when I answered, the phone was handed to him and he was urged to ask me something. He began, "Daddy, I want some ice cream..." to which his mother again told him that wasn't why he was calling. He started again, "Daddy, when are you coming home? I need you. I don't want you at the lab." Tammy explained briefly that she had originally told him that he had to wait for me to come home before he got any ice cream, but it definitely left me feeling quite a range of emotions, as I witnessed his incredible capacity to express his feelings, not just understanding his feelings, but articulating his feelings; and his ability to read other people, and then empathize with them. It is an astounding gift that he possesses, and something that, although I am exposed to it constantly, is exceptional, regardless of the filters of a proud father. Few people in this world even attempt to understand true compassion, yet to Xander, it seems to flow from him. He is a true blessing to all those who enjoy his companionship, and has so much to give, even in small gestures as it is his tendency to always remember (without any prompting whatsoever) when bringing a toy for himself, to bring a toy for his friends; he is very good at sharing, and respecting people's space; he often makes comments when he sees something out of the ordinary: (when seeing a biker lying in the grass next to his bike on a nice, sunny day...rather than riding as one would expect) "Oh no! Is that man OK?" (when seeing a window washer on the roof of a building) "Oh no! He'd better be careful. He'd better not fall!" It is a tribute to his uncanny memory and his incredibly astute observation, that he often will point out small incongruous anomalies, and either show appropriate concern or glee. He seems to miss nothing, even we are having a conversation around/over him, he often will join in and either ask a question or make a comment, even when we think he might be occupied by a video or a toy. His ability to multitask far exceeds my own.

It is amazing how quickly three years have passed, and how he has become such a mature and wonderful human being. I am so fortunate to have someone like him that I will have as my own friend and companion through my life. I hope that he always feels a bit of that need for me that he expressed so beautifully last night.