Because I Can

[Guest guest]

Because I Can Author: Krug

Today I spent the day with probably the smartest person on the face of the planet. It wasn't a chance meeting, nor was it our first time together. In fact, I have spent almost every hour of every day of the last three years with this pint-sized Einstein and never realized he beheld such pearls of wisdom.

I first noticed we were onto something when I asked my little son, Grant, why he unraveled and stuffed an entire roll of toilet paper into the commode. Without a pause or a flinch, he casually declared, "Because I can!".

"Hurumfph", I replied, as I plunged and prayed I could avoid having to actually reach in and pull the stringy mess out with my hands. "Well, maybe you CAN, but you aren't supposed to, so let's not do that again."

Later on he ventured into the kitchen where he perused the fridge for something to munch. When I caught up with him, he'd managed to lay out a smorgasbord of half-eaten American cheese slices, cherry tomatoes and celery sticks across the kitchen floor. At first, I was none too pleased with the mess until I noticed he was happily spooning out heaping spoonfuls of cottage cheese and stuffing his mouth. I knew the cottage cheese carton was brand new and he'd had to have worked hard to peel off that thin plastic protective film cover that comes glued to the rim of the carton. I was impressed.

"Are you hungry?" I inquired.

"Yepsth." Grant replied through a mouthful of small curds.

"I could tell" I said while peeling a stuck cheese slice off the linoleum. "You have quite a spread here...why didn't you come get me to fix your lunch?"

He glanced at me as if to say "Are you daft?" and then retorted, "Because I can!". And with his belly sufficiently full, he hurried off to play.

I cleaned the gooey mess made by my toddler chef and then sought him out yet again. This time he was curled up with a pillow and blanket, settled in with a favorite video. I snuggled in on the couch next to him and he immediately responded with a big squeeze that only three year olds know how to give!

"I love you , Mommy", he said with a gleam in his eyes and his chubby arms locked around my neck.

"You do?" I teased as I wrapped my arms around his little body, nuzzling his soft neck.

"Uh huh."

"And why do you love me, Grantie?"

"Because I can!" he said with a giggle. And he flopped back onto the couch, leaving me to contemplate the lesson he had tried to teach me the whole day:

Because I can. I can stick toilet paper down the commode, but I learned it gets stuck and clogs the commode, so next time I won't do that.

Because I can. I can find something to eat on my own, but I learned the table might be a better place to enjoy my food next time.

Because I can. I can love you because that's what my heart feels for you, and showing love is always okay.

Because I can. I can get angry when the toilet paper gets shoved into the commode, or the homework doesn't get done, or the bicycles are left in the driveway at night, but I learned that when I do, my children always remember the anger yet seldom remember the lesson.

Because I can. I can worry about the hungry beggar on the street, but I learned that until I stop to feed and comfort the individual, I have ignored humanity in its simplest form.

Because I can. I can love you because that's what my heart feels for you, and showing love is always okay.

"Hey, Grant?"

"What Mommy?" he asked as he crawled back onto my lap.

"Do you know why I love you?" I asked, tempting his wisdom.

Grant squished up his little face, leaned his forehead against mine, and looking deep into my eyes declared, "Because you can, you silly mommy!"

And, sure enough, he was right.