- first, Thank-You; the sisters who took time to recognize my Birthday. Depressing as it was. Thank-You to my in-laws, your thoughtfulness has become very important in my life, and therefore is always a source of inspiration, again; Thirty-Nine sucks ! My wife, & children, your efforts are so important and appreciated. Gerry, celebrating with you is always; my pleasure. Thanks; to each and every one of you !
This brings me to something I've thought you all might like to read about. Sara and I encourage our boys to embrace their Independence. In the school yard, they will always need to be aware of their responsibility to make good decisions. We've made every effort to educate them, in these very real scenarios. From their very first days in Junior Kindergarten, they've heard about schoolyard bullies, inappropriate discussions, good friends and bad friends, sharing and being taken advantage of. We have continually tried to empower them to be leaders and not followers, to keep these at home discussions open and fresh. Dialogue, in our home, IS A MUST! So imagine my surprise, when on Friday past; the day of my Thirty-Ninth Year, my eldest son came home from school with a "Store Bought" gift for dear old Dad! Every once in a while we provide our oldest boy with a few dollars to "Go Out" for lunch with his friends. It's something the kids in their school will do from time to time. They stay in a close knit group, generally head over to the local "Micky D's" and come straight back. On occasion they'll make a slight detour past a local candy shop; but that is about as exciting as it gets. We live in a small town, of about Six Thousand, so their really isn't too much room for trouble. Besides, generally, they are Good Kids! Growing up, Mom referred to our house as "The Flop House", when sleep overs happened or, we had out of town guests, we were the Billet of choice. Not to over exaggerate, the reality, but we put friends and family up often enough, so it's no surprise that Sara and I had Lot's of sleepovers with nieces and nephews and, the tradition has continued. Our boys have plenty of overnight guests, sleepover birthday parties and generally entertain friends here fairly often. Friday past, was one of those days when, the kids wanted to go out for lunch. We had a few dollars, and allowed Joshua to go. He wanted to detour over to a local variety store where they have some hats he wanted to look at. We o.k.'d it and gave him the extra in case he found a hat he liked. The story goes, upon entering the store, they spotted a hat with my favourite team logo on it; knowing it was my birthday, they all chipped in, bought it for me and even thought enough to stop at the dollar store to get a card, which they each signed. To know that this group of Twelve & Thirteen year olds, had it in them to be so thoughtful, is the single biggest spiritual boost I've experienced in a long, long time!
It goes, quite naturally, that we want just a little more for our children, then that which may or may not have been provided for us. Be it, Material, Spiritual, Love & Compassion, Faith in our Abilities and Forgiveness ... to whatever end is obviously for the individual. For me it's been a little over board, to say the least. I've spoiled them to put it bluntly. They often lose sight of just how blessed they are. I had very little, in the way of material things. Without fear of exaggeration, I can honestly tell you that my biggest form of entertainment, growing up, was rummaging through a large wood pile in the backyard of our City Housing, with a hammer and a coffee tin of old nails. We would build, ramps to jump, forts, and teeter totters to launch each other from. Injuries-a-Plenty... The hands on love and compassion I lacked from my father, is smothered on our boys, I'm sure. I am very hands on with affection, one would most likely say, "I'm a Hugger!". I'm not sure what if any affect this has on those I encounter each day, but when that kid gave me that hat with the card signed by his closest friends ... well, I gotta tell ya, I felt like I must have done something right. It is a very real blessing to know that those who cared enough; could look, through my eyes, at the result of their efforts, in my children. I hope you get it my pretties. I thanked each of them at the beginning. Many, over the years turned a blind eye, a deaf ear to my situation. Many more reached out a hand, offered a warm bed, however temporary, it was a place to lay my head. This is Love, and it doesn't begin or end, quite simply it is, and it spreads ... When those children cared enough to think of me, it was because those who cared before, live on through me. Children are pure, unadulterated, natural in every sense. They smell B.S. a mile back. In me they see all the efforts of those who cared enough to bend and help because it is exactly what I give them, pure, clean and unfettered.
I am most grateful for that, in and of itself, the opportunity to see, through the eyes of a child, the way in which the world sees me. I can only hope that the adult world can see me the same way, if not well ... maybe I am touching a nerve, that's O.K. too ! I'm praying for you ... Love, S.
