The hourglass

The Hourglass

Timmy sat on a stool with his nose in the corner, his bottom lip puckered out, tears streaming down his face, mumbling to anyone who‘d listen. He didn’t mean the words, he knew he shouldn’t say them, but it was the meanest thing he could think of.

 “I hate you; you’re just so mean, you never let me have fun. I just don’t like people telling me what to do. I didn’t hurt him, that much, he took my toy, I made it! It’s mine! He always takes my things.”

Mommy let Timmy sit and stew. It did no good to argue with him; he’d just act out more. What was she going to do with that boy? This was the third time today she’d had to give him a time out, for hitting his brother, this time it was a full out tackle. The hourglass was a good timer for Timmy but often not near long enough for mommy. She stood at the sink washing up the lunch dishes, keeping an eye on the other three young ones, who played contentedly on the floor, every few seconds she’d glance over at the hourglass and Timmy. His tirade of words had slowed, but his sobs had not.

The sand was nearly gone. Mommy dried her hands, took a deep breath and sent up a silent prayer, pulling a chair over to the stool she reached out and pulled Timmy onto her lap, encircling him in a sort of backward hug. Whispering:” Timmy you know I love you, you also know it’s my job to teach you right from wrong. No matter what you do, I will always love 

you, even when I don’t like your actions.”

Kissing the top of his head, she loosened her grip, Timmy turns and hugs her tight around the neck.

“I know mommy. I sorry. I be good. Teddy keeps wrecking my “craytions”; I work hard on them. I hate him.”

“Now Timmy, you may not like how he behaves, but he is your brother, your very best friend and someday he and your sisters will be all you have left. You‘re the oldest, they look up to you, be a good example. Teddy doesn’t know what he is doing is wrong, we have to teach him. Like I teach you. Plus, what he does, doesn’t give you the right to retaliate, or do something worse. I will talk to him, okay?”

Hiccupping;” Okay, tell him to leave my stuff alone, ‘kay.”

“I will talk to him. Now, what else is bothering you? You seem to be having a rough day. You know you can talk to me and telling me the truth will get you in far less trouble, it helps to talk.”

Timmy puckered out his lip and tried not to cry. After a few hiccups, he managed to say,” Mickey at school says daddy is mean, cause he ‘rested his mommy. He’s going to hurt daddy when he gets older. I gotta be tough, so I can protect him like daddy protects others.”

“I am sure if daddy arrested Mickey’s mom it was for a good reason and to help protect Mickey. Daddy’s had lots of training and Bilbo helps protect daddy. When he’s here with us, he plays with you like a puppy, but when he goes with daddy he is at work, just like daddy and he will attack if daddy tells him to. Do you understand?”

“Yea, but I gotta be tough, in case.”

“There’s a good tough and a bad tough; we are trying to teach you the good kind of tough. The sands have run out. If you think you can go play nice, you may go.”

~~~

Timmy would spend many more times in the corner over the years. The hourglass seemed to get bigger and slower. But always just before the sand ran out mommy would pull over a chair and pull him into a hug and whisper in his ear,” I love you no matter what, but GOD loves you so much more.”

One of the last times Timmy was sent to that corner he remembered hating that ole hourglass and throwing it against the wall. No more time out punishments for him. When Daddy came home, he had a new hourglass and made Timmy give it to mommy. Then set Timmy down and told him,

“That hourglass seems bad to you, Timmy, but for mommy, it’s a lifesaver. It gives her time to become calm, reminds her life is short, and this stage won’t last forever, as quick as the sands go from one side to the other, life can slip by. When she sees it, she can see this and get her temper under control so that she can talk to you with love, not anger.”

~~~

“How is she?”

Teddy’s voice caused Timmy’s mind to float back to the present. His father had passed away eight years ago, now his mom was in a nursing home, so frail, but still so gentle and tender in her loving words. The hourglass set beside her bed, that’s what had brought the memories back and the lessons he’d never forgotten.

He’d called his siblings; they were all flying in this week. His mom had played nice even when his actions weren’t. He didn’t deserve her to be so gentle with him, his brother and sisters. They’d all turned out pretty well. Timmy was a policeman like his father and Teddy a Fire Chief. One sister a counselor and one a doctor. Mom was right, one day they’d be all they had left. Now it was their turn to tell mom how much she was loved and how much more GOD loved her. Hopefully, they would all make it before the sands of time ran out.

Who do you know you need to tell you love them?

Renette Steele

Lady SONshine

I’d love to hear what lessons you remember learning.