Just a few weeks ago, Tim was in the city handling adult things that I do not have the patience for. So I had to take the sheep on small farm down to a small pasture for some grazing and nutrients ( that is actually way more exciting to me)
"We all have the ability to love like this. We have the ability to understand that sometimes people simply make mistakes. It doesn't matter whose fault it is. We also have the ability to speak to people in a way that they will understand, to use words that they relate to." ---
Grady and his bestie from down the street decided to join me. Now, let me just fill you in here. Since we moved to Brazil nearly 7 months ago, Grady really really struggled. He went through phases of hating Portuguese and anyone that spoke it.
He had many many days where he just wanted to stay in the house watching Netflix and eating the Cheez its that the last team from the states had brought.
He was thrilled when he discovered a best friend that plays very well with him. Grady loves dirt, being only in undies, animals, running barefooted, and getting muddy. His new bestie is the total opposite. He doesn't even like to wear flip flops, much less get dirty. So me and the 2 curious boys wander with the sheep and Grady decides to show his friend the seven piglets that we purchased recently. As I am tying up the momma sheep in a delightful shady spot that I would like to lay in, I heard horrid screaming. Grady is panicking and running to me, his friend is sobbing. As Grady was entering the pig stalls, his friend wandered off the sidewalk and stepped knee deep in the pig poop that had just been hosed out of the stalls. It was so deep, that his sandals got stuck as he pulled his legs out. This boy's legs were drenched in poopy mud. All the way up to his knees. I couldn't even see the sandals. To make it more difficult, we had to make about a mile hike back up to a place where I could wash his legs.
As we headed back, after much reassuring in Portuguese to this precious boy, Grady decided to grab his friend's hand. His friend was clearly distraught. He was barefooted, he had loads of poopy mud on him, and he had lost his brand new Ben 10 sandals that he loved so much.
As Grady held his friend's hand he told him "hey, it is going to be okay, we can get your shoes for you, we can clean you up, don't be upset, we are with you". This all was said in Portuguese so that his friend could understand. Then, Grady simply slid off his flip flops and gave them to his heartbroken friend. And they continued to hold hands as Grady reassured him in Portuguese.
This got me thinking: Grady could have fussed at him for not following him into the pig stall, he could have made fun of his friend for getting so upset. But he decided to comfort him, and he comforted him in the words that he actually understands. Then Grady knew that his friend hated being barefooted and we had a long walk, so he handed over his flip flops.
Why can't I love someone like that? Why can't more of us love like that?
We all have the ability to love like this. We have the ability to understand that sometimes people simply make mistakes. It doesn't matter whose fault it is. We also have the ability to speak to people in a way that they will understand, to use words that they relate to. We can comfort people and also give all we can to them. Do we have to point out each other's faults before we can extend love?
I didn't realize I would have learned such a strong lesson about relationships when we headed out to the pasture on the scorching, hot afternoon.
What a clear picture to me of what love is. And a reminder that above all, we are to love. To love with all of our hearts, all of our bodily cells, all of our minds, with everything.
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