Excerpts from a Childhood

Excerpts from a composition book:

Things I like to do: whittle, read comics, books, etc., play army, think, run, climb hay 09/05/00

I like being home alone. It is fun doing what I want to do. Sometimes it’s lonely. Sometimes I go upstairs and visit Grandma and Grandpa. I like to watch TV when I am alone. Then mom or dad come home. 03/27/01

What I need to work on: I need to work on my shooting ability so I can go hunting or even become a pro shooter in the Olympics! 02/20/02

My boy is home for a short break before his summer work schedule begins next week. It’s been a year now since he graduated and moved an hour from home to be an Intern with a Christian camp organization. In the year that he’s been gone he’s grown taller, broader shouldered, funnier. I am sometimes amazed when I see him, “THIS is my little boy?”

I’ve missed his being around the house, his goofiness, his “good morning mommy” even though he has towered over me for several years now. I did not, however, miss his stuff. He has boxes and boxes of stuff. Most of which I packed up since we have very little room for, well, stuff. Today, he finally went through a few of the boxes. What treasures I found.

As he’s tossing, I’m grabbing, “Wait! What’s this? You’re not going to throw this out are you?” Various awards from his years in Awana. His inventions; a mini trebuchet, a golf ball retriever, other things we couldn’t remember the purpose of. There were compositions books, photos, basketball cards. All things of boyhood.

I’m proud of the man he’s become and his easy, fun loving manner. His growing up doesn’t make me feel old. It does make me melancholy sometimes though to think of the days I wished away. There were days when homeschooling was difficult (an understatement I assure you) and days when I wanted to do for me, not for anyone else.

As I watched him sort through his childhood I couldn’t help but smile. He’s still that goofy kid at heart. It was plain to see as he pulled out his Tin Tin books and exclaimed, “Hey! Tin Tin!” But he’s also become the man God intends him to be. I think I’ll hold onto these days, the days before he finds his bride, the times before he’s toiling daily to earn his bread, before the cares of life become his burden.

If you are a young parent, I would encourage you not to wish the days away. Hold them tight. They fly, truly fly past you and before the dust settles you’ll see a young adult before you. Trust me, you’re going to miss these times when they are little. Truly you will.