Sending LOVE into the world

I have the world’s most beautiful 5 year old son.  He truly is (although I admit my bias.) ;)
I struggle because I want to keep my son as innocent as I can for as long as I can. I want to shield him from all the ugliness of the world and protect his very tender heart from unnecessary breaking. I want to keep him safe. I want to keep him protected. I want to keep him mine.  However, as he is getting older, I am seeing how his incredibly loving heart is needed by the world, and I am continually humbled by how quickly he is willing (and able!) to share his loving heart with someone, ANYone who may need it. Allow me to explain:
Monday evening, my 5 yo son went into the bathroom supply drawer, took out the box of Bubble Guppie bandaids, and took out a bandaid. He proceeded to unwrap the outer wrapper of the bandaid and then set the bandaid (adhesives still intact)  on the counter, picture side up. I asked him what he was doing and he informed me he was bringing this bandaid to school Tuesday morning because a friend had gotten hurt, and he thought this bandaid would help her to feel better. I flat out told him “No. You are not doing that. I am sure your teacher took care of it.” To which he replied, that yes, he was in fact going to take said bandaid to school in the morning because he felt badly for his friend and he was trying to be a good friend and that’s what good friends do.  I was stopped in my tracks.  “Ok,” I said. “If you really feel this strongly about it, then please at least take her these two fresh ones with the wrapper.” And he did. He packed them in his backpack and we finished our evening.  
 So the bandaids went off to school in the morning and mommy learned yet another lesson. It may have taken me a moment, but I realized that my son’s actions were LOVE.
This. Was. LOVE.
 In. ACTION.
And my little guy did it without a second thought.
I am in awe of my little guy’s heart. I am in awe of his thought process. I am in awe of his sheer bravery at being his loving, vulnerable self. I am in awe.
It is amazing to me that we come into this world so ready to give pieces of ourselves to each other. We come in wanting to connect, to love, to heal, to be with one another and we slowly learn the world is not an easy place in which to be our wholly vulnerable, true selves.  I am so proud that he wants to be a good friend and that his heart is coming up with ways to love those who may need a little more.
So maybe it is ME who needs to sit back and learn from HIM. Maybe it is ME who needs to realize that he is doing exactly what we are all brought to this earth to do: spread LOVE.  In his own way, in his own language, he is making sure the other children in his class are seen and feel loved. This is a gift. This is HIS gift.  This is HIS calling. And I have no right to want to keep it from the world, no matter how much I long to keep him protected from the evils of it.
My heart breaks because he will not remain my little boy. He will not always feel safe. He will not always feel brave enough to love so freely, but for right now I will celebrate his heart. I will celebrate his gift, and I will celebrate that the universe has given me such an incredibly loving soul to mother. I am humbled by his complete ability to be who he is. I am humbled by his wisdom and I am incredibly grateful for his gift of love. Because that lesson, and ONLY that lesson, are
why we are here.Only love is real. Thanks for reading. XOXO