Love Among the Stars

Queen Shenaynay... aka Mamadah

When Spuddy Buddy was a toddler, reading I Love You This Much together was always quite an event for the two of us. Nutbrown Hare and his son inspired a tradition between us where I would say something like "I love you all around the rings of Saturn" and he would try to top me with something like "Well, Mamadah, I love you all around the Universe!" (Who knew you could use love to teach astronomy?)

That led to another top secret exchange we still repeat to each other often:

Me: I love you!
Him: I love you more!
Me: I love you most!
Him: I love you more than most!

So it happens that last night, after reading many bedtime stories, we turned off the light and said prayers... and somewhere in there I drifted off to sleep in his bed. And in the wee hours past midnight, I was awakened by him laughing in his sleep -- deep chuckly belly laughs -- something he has often done in his sleep ever since he was an infant (and a blessed delight to witness). Then, a minute or so later, he said something magical in his sleep. It was a poem, really. Try to hear this in the slow and dreamy voice of a five year old boy, almost sung, almost whispered:

I love my Mamadah
Through every part of night
Through every part of dreams
To every part of the moon
And all around the stars.

Then he rolled over and instantly resumed the deep, measured breaths of little boy slumber.

I'm so glad I was there to hear it. I think an angel must have tickled him in his sleep so his jolly little laugh would wake me up just in time to hear the love poem of my life. I hope I can still recite it when I'm a little old lady.