My Own Self

I had been looking for a file containing photographs of my father for a couple of years. I had searched and searched without success. But I found it this morning in the basement store room. It was in a box of photos which belonged to mother and Henry. I was ecstatic.

In the box was a letter which I had written to mother on February 8, 1989. I'm not sure why she saved it, but that was just before she got reconnected with Henry Sipple. There was a section in the letter about Jeff and Andy...both then missing front teeth...and Andy wearing glasses and feeling pretty cool about it too. That was followed by a story which is now part of Wegener family lore ...and since it was recorded shortly after the occurrence, we may assume that it is the most accurate account. I will copy it here for posterity...it is priceless.

Jeff and I had a battle at the dinner table recently...he would not eat his dinner...worked himself up into such a state that he finally threw up. In the heat of battle, he looked at me and said..."How come you are so mean to me? Why do you have to boss me around? Why can't you let me be my own self?

This kid is only six years old!

A little later, while I was talking with him in his bedroom, he explained that ..."Sometimes I feel lonely...like nobody loves me". We talked about this because he is the MOST LOVED kid in the house...his brothers and sisters especially, give him an excess of attention and love. So I said "Sometimes your mom and dad like to know that you love us too." He sniffed and said..."Well I do...but it wears off.

And we have another 12-13 years to live with this bloke. He's a winner!

I think there is a message here. I have long thought that marriage and family life, is Father in Heaven's schoolroom on earth, to help bring us to Him and His Son. And it occurred to me that while children want to be loved, and adults want to be loved, our Father in Heaven might want to be loved also. And no-one deserves our love more than the Father and the Son.