Make it Count

I have always believed that boys should be boys. You know what I mean, all the gross jokes, the fort-building, cowboys and Indians, rough and tumble kind of boyhood. I simply don’t think God intended little boys to sit still, clean and quiet, for hours at a time. That may be part of the reason we decided to homeschool Boy and Girl. It’s all about the freedom baby.

Girls, on the other hand, could be anything they wanted: pink and dainty, climbing trees tough, mud pie chefs, pine cone warriors; for whatever reason I always thought girls should be given more leverage to be…well anything.

Please don’t mistake me. I think boys can be anything they want to be too, I just think girls need a greater push to get there. (Yes Boy, if you are reading this I think journalism might be a good major).

We’ve been talking on and off with Girl, trying to get a sense of where she’d like to go in life. It’s hard when you’re sixteen and you really don’t know. I look at Girl and marvel at how amazing she is. She’s so giving and so fun, except when her mother is singing to her or dancing and she’s rolling her eyes and trying to crawl under the nearest rock, then she’s not so much fun.

I think about my past, where I’ve been, the things that I missed doing (by choice), and the things that were so important that aren’t any more. Frankly, I don’t have too many regrets. I want my Girl to make wise choices, have an adventure or two, and find what makes her heart sing. Personally, I think she’ll make a fabulous wife and mommy but I also think she’ll make a great nurse or teacher (two things she isn’t remotely interested in).

There was a time when she toyed with the idea of Astro-physics. Which is totally rockin’ but I think that boat has sailed. My point though, is not that she make a decision today regarding her future, but that she look at the wide, wide world and see what adventure awaits. Maybe she’ll sail the oceans blue on a man-o-war, or travel to Africa to work with missionaries. Perhaps she’ll teach piano and study Russian language. Run for president, cure cancer, or simply provide a loving, peaceful home for a family of her own.

Time will tell.

I love to look at Boy and Girl and see the possibilities of youth. It stirs my soul and I’m loving watching them carve their own nitch in the world. But I do offer one simple piece of advice: do not waste your youth. Time fly’s whether you are having fun or not. Don’t waste your youth (or your middle age or your old age) on trivial pursuits. Life is short and sweet.

Make it count.