An Invitation to *Wink*

Imagine yourself pregnant. You're expecting a sweet little bundle of joy with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. You go in for the ultrasound and you're told your baby very well may not be born alive. And that if your baby is born alive, he most likely will not live long.

And then he is born alive.... with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes.... plus one eye and one amazing spirit....


Miraculously he lives long enough that you get to take him home where he will stay on hospice care because you are told he will not live long.

And then he lives. He lives 6 days, then 6 months.... He lives so long that eventually you take him off hospice care. You love him. He grows. He touches you in ways you couldn't imagine.

And he lives to celebrate his 6th birthday.


This is what my friend April is experiencing this week. Her Caleb is turning SIX!

She has a special request of everyone who wants to participate in Caleb's birthday wish, but before I tell you about that, I want to share just a little lesson that Caleb taught me.

Caleb's story was one of the very first ones I shared on the kidz blog. His story touched me so profoundly that I spent the better part of two days reading every single post on his blog because I just couldn't get enough of Caleb and his little lessons and his special mom and her little lessons. Chloe couldn't get enough either! She would smile and squeal in excitement every time she saw a picture of Caleb on the computer screen. And so I all but stalked them down because I knew we simply had to be friends. I didn't actually stalk them, people, sheesh! With permission, I met up with April once when Caleb was in the hospital, then since then we've had a few special lunches and never miss each others' blog posts.

Wow. I am wordy, aren't I?!?! TMI all the way. Let me get to point.

So the first day I met Caleb was a little over a year ago. I had a specific issue on my mind that I had been fretting over for weeks and praying about for just as long. I couldn't let this issue go and didn't know what to do about it.

Then I met Caleb.

The issue quite simply disappeared. Just being around Caleb touched me so much. It was like his heart reached out and touched mine and told me that the answer was love. And when I put love into the equation, the issue was resolved. Love was the answer.

Love is the answer. When we strip away all the complexities of the world, when we really get at the root of each of us -- the simplest most inner parts -- all that really matters is that we can love and be loved. That is what Caleb teaches me.

He is a little wink from heaven that reminds us to love and let everything else go.

So now to a special Birthday request from Caleb's mom, April.....


~~~~~

Caleb celebrates his 6th birthday this week!
My little miracle turns 6!
He's old enough to be in kindergarten!
He has 2 wiggly front teeth!


To an outsider looking in, his physical capabilities haven't changed much since he was a baby.
His body isn't able to hold his head, to sit or to stand.
His mouth doesn't know how to eat.
He needs help to breathe.
His eyes don't always see.
His muscles need help to stretch and reach.
He loves to be held.


Yet...
insiders know

Caleb lifts
His smile radiates
He breathes hope
He winks
He reaches out
He holds us


Caleb loves. Really loves.
His little wink reminds us every day that love is his mission.
So this year Caleb has a special birthday wish for each of you.

WINK

Find a way to love someone. Really love someone.

*lift* smile* hope* wink*
*reach out* hold*

If you'd like to take the challenge, leave us a comment telling us where you're from - then spread the word! Let's see if we can share a Wink around the World for my little boy who has never uttered a word, yet who says so much- with a little wink.

~~~~~

I'm going to reach out and wink..... Are you???