A Handshake

If someone from outer space were to watch people on earth conducting this strange ritual of two people facing each other, grasping their right hands, then moving them up and down together, I wonder what they would think?! We humans really have some strange practices. But I suppose they are not so strange if you know what they mean or what they are about.

Paul came home the other night after a faculty dinner to say that he had 'received a handshake'. I was tempted to say 'so where is it then?' But I did wonder what it was for - meeting someone, saying goodbye to someone, entering an agreement or what? Maybe he had met a fencing companion - but he is not fencing at the moment and so does not carry his weapon around with him. Or maybe he had met a fellow scout, and they shook left-handedly, as scouts are wont to do.

But the questions were soon answered when he told us that one of the professors had shaken his hand because he had attained an over 80% aggregate for his first year medicine last year. Upon hearing that news, we hugged him - wouldn't want to sully the handshake in any way. So this particular handshake was offered in congratulations - and he also received a certificate, and a small bursary (about R4000) for the current year. As he says - the University is paying for him to attend. He, very humbly, said that he doesn't know how they worked his aggregate out because he didn't think he had done that well.

What blessings all our sons are. We praise God for all of them, and for the heart that He has grown in each of them. They truly serve Him in profound and unique ways that I certainly didn't when I was their ages.

I am truly blessed!