The early morning hours

I hear little feet running and then breathing. I look at the clock. It's 4:30 am.

"Samuel, what are you doing?"

"I'm scared."

"Why?"

"I had a bad dream about dinosaur monsters."

"There's no such thing."

"I'm still scared. Can I please sleep with you?"

I throw back the covers and motion for him to get in bed. He does. I wrap my arms around him and give him a kiss on the head. He takes my hand and laces my fingers through his. We lay there in the quiet until he whispers, "Thanks Mom. I love you."

I remember the stories he's told me of being afraid in Haiti, having scary dreams and no one to comfort him. A lump formed in my throat as I hurt for him and wished he had never felt scared or alone. I am thankful he is here, waking me in the early morning hours, running to my arms to feel safe in the dark. I am even more thankful that I get to be the one to do that for him, that I get to be his mama.

As I think how lucky we are to have each other, all of us, our family of five, I can't help but think of all the little children around the world who have no one to hold them after a scary dream. My heart breaks a little as I contemplate the bittersweet aspects of life. I utter a quick prayer for all the children with no parents and all the parents with no children and wish things could be different.