Originally posted on the brixton housewife:
Over the past 100 days I have: pottered in my garden. tweeted. helped my husband lay new flooring. written school reports. protested for Palestine. bitched with friends. received flowers. been overdrawn. attended a street festival. laid in the sunshine. argued with loved ones. bought new artwork. laughed. witnessed the dashed hopes and dreams of a nation. taught Zumba to my class. cried. received callaloo…
“In increments both measurable and not, our childhood is stolen from us — not always in one momentous event but often in a series of small robberies, which add up to the same loss.”
~~John Irving, from “Until I Find You”
The song is less than a 1:30 minutes. I promise if you are a mom, dad, aunt, uncle, thinking of having kids, or a kid, or have a heart…even an INTJ ;)…the song alone will bring something to mind, even if my words do not. My hope is you will listen, read and respond.
One kiddo is graduating from college in less than 2 months, the other is leaving for college in the spring. This week was a collision of emotions as one criticized what he knew nothing about regarding home life and the other needed intervention to keep her safe and on the path to recovery from her father abandoning her. Parenting is never easy, but what happens when they are gone? That is the color of the lens through which I see my world this week.
Baseball, basketball, poker, math, loyalty and logic, Harry Potter and Pokemon… my INTJ.
Leopard prints, sparkly shoes, gold lockets, the youngest in the national spelling competition, horses, cats and kids! My creative child. (And Harry Potter!)
I know they are prepared for what comes their way in life, for I saw to it that they were prepared.
Why do I see only shades of grey, with glimpses of pink mittens and red sweatshirts?
My hue is black and white, and all the shades in-between…
Shouldn’t I be rejoicing with the vibrant colors of the rainbow that my children have weathered the storms and are moving into adulthood…not without bumps and bruises…I never claimed life was perfect or that we had a normal family…. They have the skills to make their way in the world; work ethic, honesty, motivation, kindness and compassion, a sense of citizenship to their neighbors, friends and society? Is it possible to raise a child to be too independent?
Historically, no. Today? I am interested in what my readers have to think. Comments, thoughts, questions – welcome, as always.
I f you are interested in reading more about this Weekly Challenge, and/or enjoying the other entries, here is the link: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/hue-photo-challenge/
Anne Squared 