Mountain GrowthYou see him in the distance, a spec
against the vastness of water and mountains,
paddling away from you,
gliding across the water
with confidence and joy,
his eyes full of adventure,
and what lies ahead, no longer
the small boy
who huddled close
at the sound of thunder, a boy
who has fears still,
but also the courage to conquer them
and you realize that though he is only eleven,
he is on his way
to being a man.
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The picture is from my son and I's kayaking adventure on Emerald Lake in North Dorset Vermont yesterday. You can click on it to see a larger version.
Tom
6 comments:
When my older son married almost two years ago, I not only gained a daughter, but an 11 year old grandson. He may be the only grandchild I will ever have, and he is a treasure. I love the idea of your son swimming toward manhood. We know it is a powerful struggle to BECOME, and yet seeing a child whose journey is just beginning does reaffirm us! I enjoy all of your Vermont outings!
Hello Tom
How are you...
I like the way you have shared your feelings of the imminent loss or your little boy to teenagehood,
and the anticipation that he must be feeling too...
Happy days
Hi Tom,
I wonder if the child knows when he is making these leaps forward or if they simply form part of the continuum and only the grownups see the extremes of change?
How can it happen? What an adventure.
Derrick, I don't think the child generally knows it is happening WHEN it is happening. but I suspect later in life they know (or at least I have) that certain times were landmark times. I've watched those times in my own kids in awe of the change developing in them. It's natural, yet astonishing at the same time.
A father's pride is there in the eyes of the 'watcher.' You'll remember all these landmarks in your son's life, and he'll learn from your perspective, maybe have a laugh even as he remembers his past, in his own way. ;)
Thank you for sharing. Cheers.
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