This morning is Easter Monday in France. I don’t know why it’s Monday for them and Sunday for us. I suppose if you count 3 days after Good Friday, it falls on a Monday? Go figure! Anyway, I was thinking about how I missed my only son.

I desperately wanted to be in Geneva over Easter so I could see our 19-year-old son, who was home from his military service for 3 whole days! He usually gets a half-day on Saturday and another half-day on Sunday, what with having to take 2 trains from Geneva to Airolo, where his barracks are. It’s a long 5.5-hour journey.

I missed his smile as I’d serve his favorite tuna with basil dish, his eyes lighting up as we’d take him to his favorite pizza place, and his big hug as I’d give him back his laundry, all clean and folded. My husband rolling his eyes and shaking his head and whispering, "You’re being had." I’d know it and smile.

I tried to persuade my husband to go back to Geneva.

“He misses us!”

“Nah, he’ll hang out with his friends.”

“He won’t have any home-cooked meals. He’ll eat junk food.”

“He’s going back to the army in a few days. They give him a good balanced meal.”

He held me close. I put my head in that special place between his neck and shoulder. Tears fell.

“You miss him. I do, too, but you have to learn to let go.”

I pull back from his embrace and look him straight in the eye.

“I do. I am. I have!”

“Uh huh,” with a shake of his head and a glance over the top of his glasses.

I go back to my special place and have a good cry.

And then I thought of Someone whose son left home for 33 years. No vacation leave, no military leave, no leave whatsoever. Communication, yes, always, but no return home in all that time. What’s worse is that at one point, this beloved son became everything that the father hated. He couldn’t have opened the door to him even if he had come knocking. He couldn’t even look at his son.

How could He do that? Send his oh-so loved son away from Him, from peace, harmony, perfection into squalor, strife, sin. He who knew no sin became sin. For me. Why?

“What is man that Thou art mindful of him, the son of man that Thou dost care for him?” I could only echo David’s cry.

I thought I could find nothing to be thankful for today. Oh boy, was I ever wrong. And glad to be!