a beautiful glimpse

Truett is feeling under the weather today and while I hate for any of my children to be ill, it has been a blessing in an odd sort of way. As we were making our way downstairs for breakfast, Tru suddenly got sick. I hurried downstairs to put Caia into her play area and then back upstairs to clean Tru up. I put Tru in the bathtub and then started scrubbing half-digested banana out of the carpet (yes, it was as gross as it sounds).
Jem, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs watching me, said, "Would you like some help with that Mommy?" My kid asked if he could help me scrub vomit out of the carpet. I thanked him for his offer and assured him that I had it under control. So while I scrubbed and Truett washed, Jem gathered some things to make a bed for Truett on the couch. He grabbed a soft pillow, a blanket, and Tru's stuffed puppy. Then, after I had gotten Truett dressed, Jem led him downstairs and told him that he needed to rest.
So while one child was displaying a runny nose, fever and cough, my other child was displaying a compassionate heart. I can't even tell you how many times I see my boys take toys from one another, pull hair, get into wrestling matches and treat each other unkindly. It is discouraging and I often worry about them. But today showed me that there is more to them than rolling around on the floor and fighting over a toy. Today gave me a glimpse into the heart of my oldest boy and it was a beautiful sight.