My Gold

One of the most mallable metals on Earth is gold. It's sort of shocking that this seemingly indestructible element is actually super ductile in its natural state, with a single ounce able to be stretched out into 40 miles worth of conducive wire. It can be flattened out into paper thin sheets and turned into any shape. Aside from it's monetary value and rarity as a mineral, gold is truly spectacular. 

However, as golden as gold is, it's function is bound by nature. It can only bend so much or stretch so far before it breaks. It has limits and laws and rules and boundaries.  It's utility is not unlimited, rather it's extremely finite in the grand view of things. Whether it's gold, silver, or even titanium: it can all fall apart. 

Since having my son, I've learned that there is something even more magnificent than any precious metal on Earth. It's a power not bound by any rules or limits and it comes directly from God. It's love. LOVE. Love's ability to stretch is infinte and is only bound by our own selfishness and stupidity.  Love is literally not of this Earth. It's the one peice of divinity that our Heavenly Father left intertwined in our souls so that we could discover who we are and come to understand that we, just like our Savior, are capable or infinite forgiveness and acceptance.  We don't have to be mad. We don't have to give up on others. We can listen. We can care.

Love can be pulled and mashed and mixed up but it's always there, encoded into our being and we can access it no matter the circumstances. My son has given me the ability to stretch my heart to places I've never thought were possible. He's increased my capacity to love my wife, family and even coworkers and strangers. 

He's taught me that patience and mercy are synonymous with love. He's showed me that we have power over our feelings and we can choose to hate or love. Harden or forgive. Understand or misunderstand. Listen or shutoff.

I love my son and even though he is a golden child, the gift he has taught me is way more valuable.