Dear Basden ~ in keeping with Cappy’s encouragement to Hud, here are his words penned to you as an eight-year-old. And we couldn’t agree more.
Happy TWENTIETH birthday, Little Joy!
Basden-
You have a wise heart.
It shows in the way you really want to help Aunt Crystal feed Naomi; but you wait just a step back until Crystal asks you.
It shows when your mom is talking to other adults and you need to get her to listen to your urgent request just for one second; but you wait for just the right moment to tap her arm and step in to the conversation.
It shows in the way sometimes you get your face right in front of your dad’s face and talk to him very quietly about something important.
It showed up early on the soccer field when your Daboo had to encourage you not to be so polite!
It shows when you are playing with your cousins and have to step in and kinda redirect traffic.
It shows in the way you love your sister. And your Mama and Papa.
It shows when you take a just a moment to decide whether you believe some big tale from your big brothers, or your Cappy.
When your mother was a few months old, she made a similar impression on your great-grandmother, Gladys, when she walked into the bedroom and saw your mother for the first time. When she came out she commented on the intense, steady unblinking gaze from your mother’s dark brown eyes analyzing her from between the crib railing, only months old but already showing a knowing awareness of things important.
It is comforting to see and hear your reaction, wisdom and understanding beyond your years of my often-offered point that everything is a trick except Jesus.
And your wise heart will know what to do when He knocks on the door of your heart –
Love,
Cappy
