For some astounding reason, God saw fit to let your Dad and I be the ones entrusted to the raising and releasing of your personhood. Lucky us, poor you on many levels, but then again lucky all of us to be the family that got to ring the bells and blow the whistles and dance the dance that was life with our boy.
Remember how you were always inventing new superheroes that were saving the world from certain disaster? More often than not, those adventures caused their own disasters, and anxiety-producing, loud crashing noises from various and sundry places around the house. There'd be a pause, and then to reassure me, you'd call, "I'ne okaaaaay!"
I see you now, my man son, past the crashing noises of an adventurous adolesence, loving on his gentle partner and the baby she carries. And it occurs to me that you are very okay.
You live by your values even when it costs you something, which is a sign of moral maturity. You give yourself fully to others in conversation and engagement, paying attention to the whole person, which is a sign of relational maturity. You hold to and articulate strong opinions in politics and ecology and how those two entities interact, and you do so with well reasoned thought and respect for differing opinions, and that is a sign of intellectual maturity. And you give of yourself to those who need you with gentleness and respect. This is a sign of a strong and honest human being.
Which brings me back to the surprise of being given the Mom-assignment for the person who turned out to be you. Thank you for growing up to be you in spite of me. Thank you for being strong enough to do that, and still love me on the other side of it.
I can't wait to hold and know the child you and Lauren are making. A new party is about to begin. I am just so grateful that I get to dance with you still.
My son, I love you so much.
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network
No comments:
Post a Comment