The Moment

Yesterday I had my first Sunday off in two months.  It was wonderful because my grand-children came over.  Ever have one of those moments where you just want to capture it and store it somewhere?  Well, I did.  It happened as my grand-son stood along side a lake that is at the back of my house.  He's seven, so I was very nervous about him going out there at first, but his mom insured me that seven year olds know to stay away from danger.  So we went out.  I stood on my deck, staring out at the water.  Neither of us spoke, just stood there enjoying the moment.  After a time, he went closer to the water, watching some children play.  The air was warm and the breeze gentle.  A flock of geese flew low to the water, never landing.  My grandson and I both stood there watching them.  As they flew out of sight, he reached down and picked up a rock, tossing it gently into the water.  I watched him, observing how the sun made his hair seem almost blond.
He sat down and looked out iinto the horizon.  In the distance a train could be heard.  I glanced in that direction and saw it slowly creeping alone the tracks, making it's way around the circular bend.  Then my grandson joined me and we went back inside.  In the fifteen minutes of being outside neither of us had spoken.  Words didn't seem necessary.
Let me explain.  He's my grandson through my stepdaughter.  He calls me by my first name, unlike my grand-daughter who calls me grandma.  It's just the way things were back when he was born nearly 8 years ago.  Back then, my step-daughter and I were not as close.  We enjoyed a nice relationship, but I wouldn't call it mother-daughter.  That all changed a year before her father passed.  It happened on Mother's day when she told me how she felt and gave me a Mother's day card.  It was my first. 
So, I'm called by my first name and not grandma for all these years.  I longed to change it, but didn't think it was possible.  Then something unexpected happened.  They were leaving and I stood at the door waving goodbye, when suddenly my grandson turned and looked at me.  And said,  "I love you, grandma."
What a wonderful day.