On Love

Charlie used to be one of those kids who laid right down and went to sleep at night. Not anymore. Recently he insists on sitting up in his crib while he chatters to himself, sings songs loudly, and kicks his feet. This goes on for at least a half an hour and usually after a few stern warnings to go to sleep. Ellis, his roommate, has shown extreme patience with this new nighttime routine. He has chosen not to go back to sleeping in his upstairs room to get some peace and quiet because he wants to be where Charlie is. One night last week, Josh and I listened from the living room as Charlie sang a rousing rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" at the top of his lungs. When he finished, we heard Ellis's small quiet voice say, "Charlie, that sounds beautiful, but can you please sing more quietly so I can sleep?" Sometimes a life-long friendship begins with the compassion of an older brother.