“Whenever you cross the road hold hands.”

How simple. How powerful. Imagine what life would be like if we always did that?

You might think that rule applies only to children. You’d be wrong.

It’s a big world. Walking alone, crossing life’s highways, darting out in front in this fast paced world is a dangerous thing.

Life at the speed of “it only counts if you come in first” leaves a great deal of destruction behind.

“Hold my hand. Mom says we should always hold hands when we cross the street,” she said.

The little boy reached up and held her hand tightly, knowing that if mom said so, he’d be safe.

I’ve crossed a lot of streets.

Like when I walked my children to their first day of school. I remember letting go and it hurt.

Like when I held my mother’s hand as she lay dying. She let go and crossed by herself.

Like when I walked down the aisle with my wife and we began walking together through life.

Like when I held her hand until the very last second and they took her into surgery for breast cancer.

Like Sunday, when I held out my hand and my son Keith gave me a stack of papers and a note. It read, “Hopefully this time next year I will be joining the ranks of fatherhood, too. I hope also I will have had as much impact on my kids as you have had on us. Letters, notes, cards, and words like these are all part of what made me who I am today. You told me, “If God gives you a dream, it will scare you because it will be big and impossible. But have faith. Stay with the dream. With God’s help it will work out great.”

Words like those have been pushing me. You planted seeds in me over 16 years ago that are still affecting me today. Because of that I will achieve those dreams and hopefully soon, those dreams will make you a grandfather.

I love you! Happy Father’s Day Keith

I looked at the pile of papers and found every single note I had ever given him.

He saved them all.

His gift to me was the words I gave to him when he was crossing over from child to man.

He reached down and held my hand that day because it was shaking with joy.

I now realize that I have always had a hand to hold on my journey. Whether it was someone I loved or the helping hand of a stranger, I was never alone. When I fell on my face and questioned where God was, I was reminded he didn’t let go, I did.

You can either be reaching up for help, out to give support or down to lift up the weary. But always remember to hold hands when crossing the road.

“So, whose hand are you holding today?”

Bob Perks 2believe@comcast.net