Blog 3463 – 04.27.2025

Only Words

I recall a line from a love song that I first heard many years ago:

“It’s only words, but words are all I have to steal your heart away.”

Words do have power especially when they are spoken or written from the heart for they have the ability to pierce the thickest armor and go right to the heart.

Last weekend my wife and I got to see our son Jay and our almost twenty-one month old granddaughter Emma Grace, on both Saturday and Sunday. Lauren, Jay’s wife and Emma’s mom, is an RN and had twelve hour work assignments on both days so Jay was caring for Emma and said we could come visit both days if we liked. And we liked that idea very much. On Sunday a week ago Emma called me “Poppa” for the first time. Once when I picked her up she called me “Bobba,” an affectionate terms she uses with her Momma, and I told her, “No, I’m Poppa” patting my chest. A few minutes later she was playing and walked over to me wanting me to pick her up again and when I did she said as clear as day, “Poppa.”

If you do not have grandchildren you can only imagine the thrilling and persuasive power of that word. I endeavor to support my son in all his parenting. Jay is a good daddy and I do not want to undermine his authority with Emma in any way. When daddy says “No” I do not want Emma thinking she can find a way around that through me. She has had my heart and mind completely since I first saw a sonogram picture of her a couple of months before she was born.

And since her arrival every sound that comes out of her has always had my rapt attention, every new word met with amazement at her brilliance. Still that one little word has a magic all of its own and for seven days I have longed to hear it again. Jay, Lauren, and Emma are coming to our house today. I am counting the moments till that encounter and hoping again to hear the sweetest word that any grandpa could ever hear.

I fancy myself a writer with some understanding of the power of words, to entertain, to enlighten, to encourage and to persuade. But till I heard that small two-syllable word come out of Emma’s mouth I had no real clue regarding the true power of persuasion that words have. I would do anything for that little girl and she knows it. Emma Grace has conferred upon me the highest title I could ever desire or aspire to.

Your friend, fellow traveler, and Emma’s Poppa,

David James White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odEewEZo1bpoztoKQQ2_se6-BPGQyVAM/view?usp=drivesdk

You’re Beautiful