So That They Can Become Independent Young Men

Wildman
Originally uploaded by Jagrap

The heat arrived and the pools opened last weekend, just as the seem to come in tandem each Memorial Day weekend. As we are ones to embrace what is good in each season, we rushed to the pool to dive, splash and swim once more, just as we have done before, and as I hope we will do in years to come. There could be a tendency to say that all that has happened before, will happen again, and that things don't change, but that statement will be a bit lazy; much has changed in the foreground as the background remains in rhythm

For one thing, Michael is getting so big, he certainly doesn't fly through the sky when I throw him like he once did, and Alex is now doing flips off the diving board like his big brother. A more important step forward in their coming of age is that the boys spent time at the pool all by themselves on Sunday. It was only 90 minutes, but they managed to return home without any broken bones and all of their teeth. They are growing up, and not only don't need their parents overlooking them at all time, but require a degree of freedom so that they can become independent young men who can operate on their own with confidence.

RAPatton (5.27.2009)