Day 1 - This Guy
This one who will meet me toe-to-toe, will hash it out and stand his ground. This tough nut. This boy we got, people would say, because you only get "what you can handle"...when in truth I'm not sure that anyone else could have 'handled' me and The Man while we bumbled through early parenthood. We were altogether know-it-alls and frightened young parents, elated but exhausted by the process. Many of my friends have heard me say that his First Grade teacher once told me that some days she just felt like hanging him up high on a hook...but she knew she'd have to kiss him on the way up because she loved him just the same. I've been telling that story since he ws 6 years old, because it encapsulates what it's been like to parent him. My children weave their way throughout my gratitudes so if you've read here before than you will know that there is nothing new here, but I have to say that this year has been a remarkable one for The Teenager and I. When the world is quiet enough to allow us the time to talk, he is present, insightful and ready for hours long conversations with me or any other family member that's up to challenge. Philosophy, psychology, foreign films...these are his conversation topics of choice. Where he used to retreat to his room, he wants to be present with his aunts, uncles, grandparents. As I was trying to decide which gratitude to focus on today, I picked up my camera to take snap some pictures. When I turned it on, I could see that he had shot the last frame on my camera:
Exactly the prompt I needed! This last year I've been so fiercely proud of his introspection and growth and truly surprised at his willingness to go deeper even when it's the harder road. After an intense conversation earlier this evening surrounding study habits, I really needed a nudge to remind me that we don't have the same dynamic that we had with each other when he was 6 or 10 or even 12. It's so easy to fall back into old communication patterns if you're not careful. A simple picture reminded me that he was on track, I just needed to catch up. Tonight I'm feeling so grateful that he is part of our family, reminding me that the growing...it never stops.
