There will come a day when I no longer have to get up at night to nurse you back to sleep.
There will come a day when you stop appearing in my doorway at 3 a.m. asking for a cup of water.
There will come a day when you no longer want to sit in my lap to read a book.
There will come a day when your "boo-boos" cannot simply be kissed all better.
There will come a day when you no longer need to hold my hand down the stairs.
And there will come a day when a hug no longer washes your tears away.
There is no way of knowing when that last day will come. One day, out of the blue, you won't need me to provide you comfort in these ways.
Therefore, I will nurse you back to sleep every night and treat it like my last.
I will fill your cup with water at 3 a.m.
I will read your favorite book a thousand times if you ask me to.
I will kiss your bumps and bruises all better.
I will guide you down the stairs.
And I will let you cling to me like a baby chimp clings to its mother if that means I get to hold you and hug you one more time.
There will come a day when my hugs won't be able to make everything better, but for now, they do. As long as you let me, my arms will always be open for you to run to.