this is my friend melody

this is what my friend melody’s front yard–which is truly a haven even without the tents–looks like at the moment

melody and i often refer to one another as each other’s sisterfromanothermother. there are many things i love about this wonderful woman–nurse, mother, sister, favorite aunt, nana, poet, teller-of-truth, sister-friend–but one of the things i love the most is how she treats children. melody has never been one to turn away the little ones. instead she opens her heart, her arms, her home, and loves the children with a pure love that is one of the best examples of christlike love i’ve ever known.

she has always welcomed the neighborhood children who want to play in her paradise-yard, even though sometimes they wear down the grass from their bikes and trucks and cars. every summer before school starts up again, melody builds tents for them in her yard, knowing if she builds them, they will come. and then she comes out to visit with the neighborhood kids who can’t resist–even taking them refreshments or treats on occasion.

little ones are not invisible to her in the way they often are to other adults. she knows their names and she treats them like they are real.

which of course, they are.

and she is way better than a band-aid or a kiss when they are hurt.

a nurse, melody is the first person we call when one of my children is injured.

“can we treat this at home or do we need to see a doctor?”

usually the answer is we can treat this at home. and usually melody has just what we need in her professional-strength first-aid kit.

but it’s not really about the antiseptic wipes, antibacterial cream or the gauze.

one day after we had returned home from having melody treat a wound–i forget which one, there are so many–on my daughter’s arm, suze said to me,

“i still feel melody’s hands on my arm.”

i didn’t even have to think of what to say. i knew.

“that’s the love. it stays with you.”