Lessons from the Pills

In April 2005 I had an experience that I not only recorded in my journal but I told about it in a talk I gave to a large group of people. One morning Clark “had had a few small seizures and his head hurt. I was getting him medicine for the seizures and for his headache. A simple, common experience took on added weight and meaning that morning as I watched the pills drop from my hand to his. I was struck as if I had been poked ‘Pay attention—this truly is profound. He trusts you simply and completely. He has no doubt you are giving him something to help him.’ The thought never entered his mind I would do otherwise. I am his parent.” I have replayed this experience in my mind many times in the past four years and it humbles me each time. Contrast this with something that happened two nights ago. Our family was eating dinner when I looked down and there on the floor was a new eraser for a mechanical pencil. It looked like a pill so I picked it up and as I handed it to Clark I told him he had forgotten to take one of his pills. He looked at it and popped it in his mouth. “Clark, I was just kidding. It’s not a pill.” I quickly said and he spit it out. Even though the eraser didn’t look exactly like his pills he trusted me. Again I felt like I had been poked—I had betrayed his trust. He forgave me quickly and easily and has not even brought up the incident. As a parent I continue to teach but it is my sons that reveal to me many truths about trust, love, faith and forgiveness.