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He’s not shy or even scared about public speaking but searching for words.
We all know in a second once he finally does speak that he’s changed his presentation from a talk about buildings to a talk about his family.
I feel a lump in my throat almost straight away, so proud of my boy.
Mark’s hand finds mine and by the end of Josh’s shortened speech, there’s not a grown up in the room with a dry eye.
He talks about his dad and his mom, his sister, and especially he mentions his grandpa, whose here today.
He talks about how his dad saved his grandpa’s life before he was even born by fixing his heart. How proud he is of both of them and his mom too for all being doctors.
For helping people.
He changed his speech at the last minute not because we all turned up, but because he wanted to talk about what matters to him most.
Building things and drawing them is fine, but like all of us in our family, our tribe, it’s the family unit that matters most.
What we do, how we help others, it all comes from the love and solid foundation we feel at home. Wanting to spread that out into the world with everyone we have the chance to help out.
Ten year old’s are sometimes the best audience, and today Josh gets a standing ovation once his presentation is over, nobody minds he went off topic just a little bit.
Like I said, all the grown-ups just got a free lesson in how to be a better human by listening to the heartfelt thoughts of a ten year old boy about his love for his family.
I learned how to cry in public and I think Mark did too, but in a way, only a proud parent does when they see their baby all grown up for the first time.
“Oooh! I didn’t even talk about my drawing!” Josh exclaims, smacking his forehead and rolling his eyes when we go to congratulate him. Me wiping my eyes so he doesn’t think I’m upset.
I watch Josh’s grandpa, my dad do something he would never have done with me in this situation.
He hugs him close and tells him what a great job he did, and maybe next time he can do a talk about his drawing.
And that’s when I see it.
The real healing that family can bring.
The real benefit of open heart surgery for my dad and for Mark, me. For all of us.
The past has come full circle, even before my lifetime, and given us all little Josh and Jane. Given us a living lesson on how to be better people by listening, loving, and helping one another and everyone we meet.
Josh’s talk is at the end of the school day, so it’s perfect timing for us all to go do something as a family.
“How about we go get some ice cream?” Grandpa suggests, looking to Mark and me for approval before lifting Josh up onto his dad’s shoulders and cheering us all along as we agree and make our way to the car.
“You’ve got a proud son there, dad,” he tells my husband, glancing back at me as well.
“And a prouder mom, I’ll bet too,” he adds.
While Mark buckles the kids into the back seat of the car it gives me a chance to tell my own dad something deep and meaningful, keeping in tune with the theme of the day.
“Thanks for coming today, Dad. It means a lot to Josh,” is all I can manage though.
My dad takes my face in his hands and kisses me on each cheek.
“You don’t know how proud I am of you sweetie, of all of you,” he says suddenly, his voice thick with emotion.
I feel Mark hovering behind me, maybe uncomfortable at my dad’s rare show of affection for his only daughter, but dad motions him over to us both.
“And you too, Mark. My brother. My oldest friend,” he adds, taking Mark’s hand with mine and putting them both on his heart.
“It’s here now. The same magic you’ve given those kids. The same thing you did that day to give me life…”
He’s choking up, but all Mark and I can do is hug him. Holding each other for a few moments before Josh and Jane wind down the window, and whine to hurry up for ice cream.
All three of us bunch up in the front bench seat of our car and I hear an echo from a past I was never part of but I know is starting fresh with my dad and Mark.
“Maybe we should head up to the lake this weekend, all of us,” Mark says after my dad suggests a few places to go grab some ice cream.
“Maybe we should,” my dad offers, reaching for my hand and squeezing it.
“I’d like that too, Dad,” I tell them both and in a second both kids are shouting for a lake holiday over ice cream any day of the week.
