I knew it

One day, before an important meeting with some important people who had come to Jackson to see me, my wife, Vera Mae, came over with Varah [my granddaughter] and her bicycle, which had two flats. Varah softly asked, “Grandpa, will you fix my bike?” I’m thinking, I ain’t got time. “Will you fix my bike?” I thought about it a few seconds, looked into her eyes that were calling out to me and then said, “Sure. The people here to meet me can wait. I’m going to do this right now.”


I got my pump going and fixed her flat. Itonly took me a few minutes. Iput her on her bike and pushed her. I had taught her how to ride the bike. I had put her first training wheelson and was with her the first time she ever went without them. There was no way I could leaver herwith two flats. When she learned to swim, I was in the swimming pool and taught her. She thinks her granddaddy can do everything. (Don’t tell her otherwise!) And when I fixed her flats, I said, “You know, you’re the most important person in my life right now.” With her little smile, she said, “I knew it, but I wouldn’t say it.”

Oh, man! She knew it! What if I had blown the chance to affirm her? Children (and grandchildren) need to know they are important.

--John M. Perkins in Follow Me to Freedom p 28