“What were you laughing about?”

Our house doesn’t lend itself to privacy. Not that my conversation was a secret, I just felt badly when I crawled into bed later and worried I had kept James awake.

“So many things,” I replied. “You know how conversations with Jacob are.”

He knows exactly what I mean. It isn’t just one thing, or one topic. Jacob just has a way of phrasing things or of relating to a topic that makes us smile and often laugh out loud. He is articulate, smart, well-read and yet self-aware enough to be able to good-naturedly poke fun at himself and life in very appropriate but hysterical ways. Conversations with the kid always do my heart good and tonight was no exception.

Jacob can discuss any topic well, he can disagree respectfully, he can communicate not only what he thinks but also how he feels and he demonstrates compassion beyond his years. He is also able, quite accurately and somewhat deftly, to relate a recent Star Trek episode he had watched with something I philosophically mentioned during the conversation. And I am certain he felt my smirk when he described himself as having been a “good student growing up.” True, if you add in all the frustrations that his teenage self put me through to get to that point. This, is my child.

For all the ways that the world feels wrong and hard and backwards and evil and forsaken and corrupt and perhaps even despairing right now, talking with Jacob gives me immeasurable hope. I hope he always knows, deep in his soul what a blessing he is.