“Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.” —Psalm 4:6
Today as my four-year-old, Henry, and I were walking from the car to the grocery store, he suddenly stopped and looked at the ground.
I thought that he had dropped something. I was about to ask him what the matter was when all of a sudden he hugged my legs tight.
The autumn light shone behind us, casting a beautiful orange glow on the surrounding trees. Henry hugged me even tighter, pressing his little body close to mine. Then he looked down at the stretch of pavement in front of us.
“What are you doing, Hen?” I asked.
“Something,” he mumbled. Then he grasped my legs and moved his feet on top of my toes.
I leaned down close to his face. “What? What is it, honey?” I asked again.
“Look!” He pointed to the pavement.
I looked ahead. “What am I looking at?”
“Shadow,” he said. He glued himself to my legs.
“Yeah, that’s our shadow, Hen.”
“Stay,” he said. “See. I just want to be in your shadow.”
I hugged him tight. Finally we walked inside holding hands, admiring our shadow the whole way.
Dear God, please send your light so that the shadow I cast gives shape to your love.