Well, as I said in previous posts, I am in my 40’s, but I will forever be a kid. I have learned that no matter how “old” I get, I have yet to grow up. This is good, it makes those times when I do something “responsible” even more worthwhile. It also allows me to do the unexpected; those times when my actions make people shake their heads and wonder how I escaped from my caretakers.
I remember how proud I made my parents at times; one particular example was my first year of college. It had nothing to do with my classes or grades, but actually about a picture my Mom got to share with someone she met at a Denver Bronco game. I’m not sure why, but during the game, a woman talking to my Mom shared that her child went to the same school I attended. As women do, they went back and forth with the usual pleasantries with regard to how nice the school is, how pretty the campus, all the usual stuff. During the conversation, the woman reached her hand into her purse and took out an envelope from the photo-mat. She took out the pictures and started narrating the images one by one. My Mom was undoubtedly filled with pride knowing that her little boy was going to the same school, seeing the same things, experiencing the same college experiences as this woman’s child. Then, all of a sudden the woman stopped on a picture laughed out loud and said, “I have to tell you about this one, this is a dorm room on campus that has to be the messiest room I’ve ever seen.” She went on about how people trekked across campus to view this room, and how they took a picture of the room, with the two knuckle-headed football playing roommates as they smiled proudly for the camera. My Mom, while listening to this story, probably knew that this was no coincidence, that she could probably describe in great detail not only the facial features of one of the knuckleheads, but could probably describe the “mess” as well from the previous 18 years. Well sure enough as she looked at the picture, she saw me, smiling, standing in a semesters worth of laundry, pizza boxes, “soda” cans, etc. I hope this was the only time my dear Mother saw a picture of me and did not claim ownership.
Anyway, I want my kids to grow up the same way. At a minimum they need to own their actions. I am not saying that they should go through life with dirty laundry and empty pizza boxes lying around, but if they find themselves on that side of a camera, be proud of the mess you made, it was made by you! I have the incredible privilege of having kids I am proud of. Just after Thanksgiving, as we were heading back to Denver after eating dinner at my parents house, we stopped for sodas at a 7-11. As we were all trying to cram back into the CR-V, Joey told his girlfriend to go to the other side of the car to get in. Corey was on that side and said “Why can’t you move?” Joey said something back, Corey shouted back. Joey said “Real mature Corey”, Corey responded to Joey (21 mind you), “Just stay put and eat your push pop Joey”! (Yes he was enjoying a push-pop). Those are the kind of kids I want to be around, because they make me laugh, and then I love them more, then I laugh more, etc…
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