And love is all that will remain and grow from all these seeds

Earlier today after a particularly trying customer, I was straightening up a display and attempting--with limited success, I might add!--to regain my temper.  Suddenly, a boy of about 10 or 11 walked up to me, THREW his arms around me and said, "I LOVE you!"

Now, this kid was only an inch or two shorter than I am--admittedly not very tall, as I'm not much over five feet, but still.  I'd also never seen him before in my life.  Still, what does one say under such circumstances?

Well, I believe that it's generally considered quite rude not to say, "I love you, too!"  And divas ought not be rude.

His mom came up shortly thereafter, apologizing profusely, and explained that her son has autism.  I laughed and said something about how I thought that might be the case, but as autistic behaviours go, hugging someone who needed a hug and telling her that she was loved was a pretty cool behaviour.

Sometimes these kids get it much better than we wise adults do.