for the most part, i have been spending my time with a lovely young man....probably not the kind of young man you are thinking of- perhaps a little younger, but he has been just the young man i have needed this summer. i mean, just look at the kid- can you resist any of those looks?
i certainly can't. don't get me wrong- we have our "up" days, and our "down" days, but i just love this little guy. see that picture of him looking out onto the water? he could sit like that for hours, just watching the boats, the ducks, the people and (sadly for our lakes) the garbage float by- just talking about it, using his imagination to carry him maybe just a few feet to a boat he sees out on the lake, or perhaps light years away to an infamous star wars planet. and on tired days (which occur much more than i would like), i will admit- his pretend games and his imagination and his constant pulling me in with a multitude of questions (often his way of conversing) are exhausting. but on those rare not-so-tired days, or those tired days in which i happen to feel a sudden burst of energy, i see what i am missing when a big part of me is simply yearning for a nap most of the day. his questions are earnest, asking for reassurance and also for understanding. his thoughts are interesting and imaginative. he remembers every little story you tell him. i just wish so badly i could be inside his brain sometimes....we're driving in my car, listening to "hip hop" of course- his first request when we enter the car- and out of the blue he asks "was your roof leaking? did the water drip on molly in her bed? did the worker guys fix it?" what in the world made him think of this story just then? i may never know. he seeks categorization in this complicated world, and i totally get that. wouldn't it be simpler if people were just "good" or "bad"? but, as i think his many questions indicate, he is starting to realize not much about the world is simple. he teaches me patience, openness, a new perspective, questioning, the power of words, the power of actions, the power of choice, imagination....anddd with that, i will say good night. good night moon- you sure are bright and full tonight. it's reassuring.
