"Love You Forever" at a Man's Point of View

Many of us, especially mothers, have read this children's book. It's a heartwarming story about a mother's unconditional love for her son. It follows their relationship from birth until he is a grown man. Each page ends with the mom taking her baby, little boy, teenager, and then grown man into her lap as she sings,

“I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.”

My sister bought me this book when I had my first baby and she told me that it was one of her very favorites. I have to admit that the first time I read the book I choked up. It was so beautiful!

My best friend and her little boy are very close. He's her only child and he adores her. Her sisters have teased her that she won't let go of him when he gets older. I told her she was like the mom from this book and I was surprised when I learned that she'd never read it so I bought her a copy.

This past weekend we were sitting out in our back yard with drinks and watching the children play. We made a joke and a reference to the book and my husband had no idea what we were talking about. I was surprised that he never heard me read the story to the children. I told him the story and when I got to the part about the man being grown and the mom driving across town with a ladder on her car he had a repulsed look on his face.

"That is just gross!" he declared.

My friend and I looked at each other and we just laughed. We never once thought of the story as creepy or weird. In fact, I found it very touching. It was just hilarious that a man wouldn't see it the same way. Then I realized that it really makes perfect sense. We are so very different that a man wouldn't see it as a warm and fuzzy book like we did. Women are mothers and are nurturing. Men are not naturally nurturing and motherly.

It also reminds me of the first time my children saw "The Little Princess." (Spoiler alert if you haven't seen this ancient movie.) When it got to the end when the little girl sees her father and he's all blind and has amnesia, she's crying and asking him to remember her. My daughter busted out into tears and loud sobs at that part and my son just looked at her perplexed. He couldn't even watch the movie because he didn't know what had happened to her and he just kept staring at her wide eyed. I was even shocked at her reaction. I didn't expect it to touch her that way. It was the first time she had ever cried watching a movie.

My husband and I laughed so hard later when we I told him about it. My husband said, "You just witnessed 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' right in front of you."

Well that "Love You Forever" story was our "Little Princess" moment, that's for sure.

If you've never read the book you can read it here. http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/loveforever.htm