BitterSweetLife

Lindsay is a cuddler, Aidan is not, and I am bipartisan. But things have been shaken up recently. The flu rushed through our family like rush hour in Albuquerque, leaving us hot, exhausted, and congested—and Aidan started wanting hugs.

He’ll sit in my arms, put his arms around my neck, and lean against my shoulder wearily. He wants to fall asleep on my lap. Suddenly, Mr. Hardnosed Baby is starving for physical affection. Amazing what a little debilitating illness can do to one’s character.

Do I detect a spiritual parallel here? I certainly do. Sometimes it takes a stroke of “bad luck” to bring us crawling over to tug on God’s ankle. Life has to level us before we act like the children we are.

We think these setbacks are tragic, and perhaps they are. But God’s feelings must be mixed, as he mourns our pain, but smiles at our sudden realization that maybe we need him after all.