The Great Big Thing

THE GREAT BIG THING

By K. Horgan McLain

           

Do you like to measure things? Aidan did. He loved to measure things so much that he even had is very own measuring tape. And boy did he use that tape measure as much as he could!

Aidan measured the windows in his bedroom. He measured how tall his bed was and how high his ceiling was. He measured the pictures on the wall and the width of the table. He would measure things both big and small, like the fingers on his hand and the length of his legs. Aidan measured everything he knew including how big the clouds were and how small the bugs were. He measured the stars and the moon. He measured flowers and trees and houses and bees. He measured the beach and he measured the mountains. You just couldn’t stop Aidan from measuring wherever he went.

But then Aidan came along something he didn’t know. All he knew was that he wanted to measure it. It was so warm and lovely he just couldn’t resist, but it was really big. So, Aidan got out his measuring tape and started to measure the size of this thing. He pulled his tape out all the way but that wasn’t enough. So Aidan went and got another measuring tape from his room, where he had quite a few since he loved measuring so much. He pulled that tape measure out all the way and still wasn’t done measuring this great big, pretty thing. So he got three rulers from his room and lined those up with the two measuring tapes but he still didn’t know the size of this thing.

Aidan got sad because he couldn’t finish measuring it, but what was it that made it sooooo big? Aidan’s mommy came by and saw that Aidan was sad and stopped to see what is wrong.

“Why do you look so sad, Aidan,” she asked. “Because, mommy, I’m trying to measure this great big thing but I don’t have enough measuring tapes and rulers to finish because it is just so large!” Aidan said in a small, sad little voice. “Silly boy,” exclaimed Aidan’s mommy, “Do you know what that is?” Aidan shook his head no. “My sweet child, this is something so big that goes on forever and ever and ever and you will never be able to measure it because even all the tape measurers and rulers and yardsticks in the world will never get to the end of this thing. It just goes on and on. Would you like to know what this great big thing is?” asked Aidan’s mommy. Aidan nodded his head yes eagerly. With a bright smile and a tight hug Aidan’s mommy said “This great big thing is my love for you. It can never be measured and it can never be made smaller and it will always be growing bigger and bigger. No matter what you do or where you go, it will always be vast and large and will always get bigger.” When she finished explaining this to Aidan, she looked at her son with a warm, loving smile and Aidan was happy.