They are all wonderfully different. They each have their own personalities, talents, strengths, and ways of expressing love. Some are more outgoing while others are quieter. Some wear their emotions on their sleeves, while others reveal their hearts through actions instead of words. As their mother, I've learned to appreciate those differences because they make our family richer.
My oldest child, my son Dave, has always had a quiet, reserved nature. He's not someone who seeks the spotlight or tries to be the funniest person in the room. If you met him for the first time, you might think he's serious. But those of us who know him best have discovered a side of him that appears when you least expect it. Every once in a while, he'll do something so clever and unexpected that it catches me completely by surprise and leaves me laughing long after the moment has passed.
Not long ago, Dave came to visit. Like most visits, we enjoyed spending time together, catching up on life, and making new memories. At some point while he was here, he wandered into my art room. It's one of my favorite places in the house, filled with paintbrushes, projects waiting to be finished, and little treasures that bring back happy memories.
One of those treasures is a troll doll that my youngest daughter, Jamie, gave me as a gift. She knows how much I enjoy nostalgic reminders of my childhood, and that little troll immediately transported me back to simpler days. It has sat on a shelf in my art room ever since, faithfully sporting the same wild, colorful hair that troll dolls have been famous for over the years.
A day or two after Dave had gone home, I walked into my art room and immediately noticed something was different. At first, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then I looked closer.
The troll's hair had been neatly parted straight down the middle.
I stood there for a second before it dawned on me exactly what had happened.
Dave.
Without saying a single word, he had quietly given my troll doll a new hairstyle. I could almost picture him standing there, carefully smoothing that outrageous hair into a perfect middle part, grinning to himself as he imagined how long it might take me to notice.
I laughed out loud.
He never mentioned it before he left. There wasn't a note beside the troll explaining his handiwork. He simply trusted that sooner or later I'd discover his little surprise. Knowing me as well as he does, he probably knew it wouldn't take very long.
The more I thought about it, the sweeter it became. It wasn't simply a practical joke. It was one of those small, thoughtful gestures that quietly says, "I know you." He knew I would laugh. He knew that every time I looked at that troll doll afterward, I'd think about him. Even now, every time I walk into my art room and see that perfectly parted hair, I smile all over again.
It reminded me that love doesn't always arrive in grand gestures. Sometimes it's tucked inside little moments that could easily be overlooked. Sometimes it's a phone call just to check in. Sometimes it's showing up when you're needed. And sometimes it's giving your mother's troll doll a haircut because you know she'll eventually find it and laugh until she can't help herself.
As parents, we spend years trying to teach our children about kindness, compassion, and bringing joy to others. Then one day we realize they've been teaching us all along. They've shown us that love has many languages, and each person speaks it a little differently.
I'm grateful for all four of my children and the unique ways they've enriched my life. They each reflect a different facet of God's creativity, and I wouldn't change a single thing about who they are. Their personalities may be vastly different, but together they have filled my life with laughter, lessons, unforgettable memories, and countless reminders of God's goodness.
And thanks to my quiet, reserved son with the wonderfully unexpected sense of humor, I'll probably never look at another troll doll quite the same way again.
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