Blessed

It happened last weekend, too, but I had forgotten.  I could hear it outside my window but it took me a moment or two to realize what the sound was.  Breaking glass.  Just a little.  There it was.  Now there again.  Right outside the window.  I laid in bed and listened more carefully.  It's when I hear the slider that I realized the whole picture.  I looked out my window, into the reflection of the patio doors across the way and verified the scene.  He was throwing glass off his balcony into the street outside my patio.

I got up and got the dog and went out the back way.  I wanted to see it in person.  I'm not sure why that would make a difference, I just didn't want to believe that's what he was doing.  His mom would be home from the night shift soon.  He must just be up and bored.

When I got around to the front I could see the shards of glass shimmering all over the pavement.  I realized his mom's car might be the first tire casualty.  I took the dog back in, got a bag and came back out.  I very carefully picked up all the large pieces of glass that I could see.  It was light enough now that it wasn't too difficult.  I wondered what he had broken originally to get this much glass to throw.  

His mom pulled into the lot while I was still out there.  I signaled her to go around the glass and she rolled down her window to talk to me.  "Someone had too much fun last night and broke their bottles out here?"  I looked at her with that understanding that passes from mom to mom - I knew I'd hate to look so stupid, but I knew I had to say something.  "Actually, it would seem E was throwing glass off the balcony this morning.  I could hear it and then I saw him from my window in the reflection over there.  I'm so sorry to have to tell you that."

She went on to say how much trouble she's been having with E.  He's bigger than she is now and he thinks he can push her around and that he doesn't have to listen to her anymore.  I've only known E to be a quiet, polite boy who causes mischief now and then more out of boredom (because she works nights) than anything else.  He's done some things in the past that he will then leave a very remorseful apology note at our door for.  She said her friend just sent her son to the Juvenile Home and she's thinking about the same for E.  

I didn't know what to say.  I said things like, "This is a tough age" (E is LM's age) and "it's hard to be a single mom, isn't it?"  

But when I went back inside, and I stood at the sink doing dishes, it just swept over me.  I am so very blessed.  My son is such a caring, loving, son.  His troubles are so minor, so innocent, so typical for his age.  He loves his parents, he loves God.  I have never feared he would raise a hand to me or that he would do something that would cause injury or harm to someone else.  

I stood there at the sink and prayed.  

But for the grace of God, go I.