When people speak of their eagerness for a second child, they often mention that it'll be fun for child number one to have a brother or sister to play with. For the first two years of George's life, I mourned the fact that George barely took any notice of Samuel and that the two weren't able to "play" together the way two typically developing brothers should have. I remember feeling this pain sharply one day as I was pulling into a parking lot, and a voice spoke to me and said "Don't mourn it Rachel . . . Samuel is learning how to love." Tears still come to my eyes when I remember those words, because Love is more important.
I've struggled to know how to give each of my kids the attention he needs, and I've worried before that Samuel might grow envious of the specialized attention that George requires. But so far, Samuel doesn't show any signs of sibling rivalry, but more accurately fits King Benjamin's description of a child "meek, humble, patient, full of love" (Mosiah 3:19). And I am so grateful for it.
Shortly before we left for Christmas vacation, the missionaries came over for a visit. With the confidence and excitement of a child, Samuel introduced them to his baby brother Joshua. Samuel glows when he talks about Joshua and when he looks at him, and for a moment I prepared myself for the hurt and disappointment that would come if Samuel didn't show the same enthusiasm for George. But worry turned to wonder as Samuel danced and skipped over to George with a big smile said, "This is my brother Georgie! He can't talk . . . he doesn't know how . . . but he talks to me!!!" Before I could catch my breath, Samuel raced off to the kitchen.
Samuel, I'm so glad to know that Georgie talks to you, and with all my heart I hope he continues to. Maybe someday you can tell me what he says-- but I don't need to ask. Somethings can be communicated without words and somethings can't even be communicated with them.