Description

Today, I'm thankful for his smile. His crooked, smirky smile that shows itself first thing in the morning after the overnight nursing aide leaves, when he realizes in his dark room, made darker by his sleep mask, that it's me in there. I fix his covers, and something about my soft touch on his arm or my hand on his forehead, without me saying a word, just distinguishes me from anyone else in his world. Hi Mom, he grins from his temporary darkness. And my heart fills.
And exhaustion disappears for that moment and I realize that that instance of his morning smile is my favorite part of my day, every day.
Unconditional love. I believe it's tangible.