Steve Skojec

I’ve mentioned that Ivan has had a change in sleeping habits over the past year. While he used to sleep through the night, he habitually began waking up around 11:30 or midnight and becoming inconsolable until we took him into our bed, where he would end up for the rest of the night, (kicking me in the face and throat at random intervals).

A couple weeks ago, when Jamie went to lay him down, he saw a benedictine crucifix that was sitting on his dresser. We had not long before taught the little ones to venerate the cross by giving it a kiss, and he likes to just hold it sometimes during bedtime stories. This particular night, after seeing it there, he pointed to it and grunted, indicating that he wanted it. He snuggled up and went to sleep with it, and when Jamie checked on him a couple hours later, rather than waking up as he often does, he just pulled the crucifix closer and went back to sleep. That night, he stayed in his bed until about 5AM. Thereafter, every night he went to bed with the crucifix, he slept until the early morning before waking and crying.

A couple days ago, I went to get him at about 4:45AM, and he was, as usual, crying. I reached my arms out to him to pick him up, but he would not let me do so until I kissed the crucifix that he held out in front of him. Once I did, he put his arms up for me to take him, the crucifix in tow. He would not let me take it. Finally, this morning, he slept all the way through the night.

I don’t know what is at work here, but I’m fascinated by it. He really seems to derive great comfort from holding the crucifix, and I wonder if its presence helps to soothe whatever night terrors he may be experiencing. Whatever the case, I couldn’t think of a better security item for a child to have than a sacramental. Here’s to hoping he never loses that devotion.