Does your face light up?

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Does your face light up?

Monte and I have travelled to our vacation home in Finland to enjoy the coziness of autumn for a few days. We spend our days reading, writing, reflecting, and enjoying the peace and quiet. I very much enjoy the opportunity to reflect and pause from time to time.

As I´m sitting here, memories of our everyday life come to mind and fill me with enormous gratitude. At the moment, our home in Sollentuna is a multi generational living space shared with children and grandchildren. There is something really neat and special in living this way.

Almost every day I’m blessed to hear a tiny voice call out GRANDMA!!!!! and see a grandchild´s expectant face peak in through the kitchen door.

There’s something absolutely wonderful about small children who think it´s totally obvious that when they walk through a door… someone is there just waiting for them and longing for them to get there. That feeling is something I wish everybody would experience their entire life. The feeling of being loved, longed for, and affirmed.

Many years ago I watched a conversation on TV between Oprah and Nobel prize winner Toni Morrisson. Toni said something that has become a guiding light in my life.

”When a child walks in the room, your child or anybody else´s child, does your face light up?

That´s what they´re looking for.”

I’ve thought a lot about this. Often, we assume that the people in our lives know just how much we love them. But, sometimes we need to remind our faces. What do people actually see when they meet you and me?

I believe all children, and grown-ups, long to see people´s faces light up when we meet them. For many, this might only be a dream. But I’m convinced that all human beings can experience such a welcome and a face that lights up as you come home. I believe that is exactly what happens when we come to Jesus!

In meeting Him every one can experience unconditional love and a feeling of being longed for, loved, affirmed, and welcome.

As for me, I’d like to be more aware of how I meet people, my children, other people´s children…after all, everyone is someone´s child, right? The question is, does my face… does your face light up when we meet people?

I think that’s something we all long for… and truly need.