Oh Boy... Godson Gets His Learners' Permit... Rite of Passage!

D'Vante Todd

My "Buddy Pal" #1 Godson

NOW BEHIND THE WHEEL

and

On The Road!

As I sit with my coffee this morning I can't help but think of yesterday's text I received...

No message, just a photograph of a piece of paper ~

and then the phone rang!

Good morning morning...

good and best morning to all who gather here.

The picture I received was of the "official" rite of passage known to 15 year old when their life looks real good... Remember? That oh so majestic day when you got your "LEARNERS PERMIT" and you could then sit behind the wheel, looking

 "groovy", "cool", "radical", "spiffy", "top-notch", "hip", "rad", "awesome", "fly", "da bomb", "tight" ~ ~ ~

OH HAPPY DAYS

So as I am trying to read of this wonderment the phone rings, with Buddy Pal on the other end... excitement in his voice... "I passed the test"!

AND

"Mom let me drive all the way from the Mall at Christiansburg to Radford"  (haha)

OH HAPPY DAYS

So as we are talking about this being an exciting time, school now being out for the summer, grades being good, football physical this afternoon; his soon to be time to come to Florida with the family...

 I hear his wise-guy Mom (cuz) Angie in the background shout,

"So ask the Godmother is she going to give up her keys when you get to Florida"

Which of course... he does!

So of course I let him know that we will tie her to the top of the car on the way to Disney and of course he can drive us there!~!~!

Fair is fair!

/*\

But

now I am remembering and reflecting as we all do.

I can remember when he was two... he would get so very excited to sit in my lap on a riding lawnmower...

And it was about then he began to call me:

"Buddy Pal"

So since then we have called each other

"Buddy Pal" Me big ~ He Little

And then he grew a little;

and he learned the words "please", "no no no",

"thank you" and "amen"... and did I mention, "NO"...

and he sat on my lap and steered when I drove the car in a parking lot and oh how he loved that!

And he called me "His Buddy Pal" ~

And he grew a little; and he learned right vs. wrong; good and bad and the golden rule...

and visited ... and I met them at the airport. And as he ran through the gate with his little arms stretched out screaming for "Buddy Pal" we hugged and fell in the floor among the throngs of people just giggling and hugging and snuggling and loving each other. And we skipped, and sang, "This Little Light of Mine" and we parasailed with him standing with his toes on my feet as we went up more than 800 feet in the air, and he exclaimed,

"Buddy Pal I nearer my God now huh" and then was lost in the sights of all he could see and be, knowing someday he "could fly" if he believed.

And wouldn't you know it

he grew some more and came back:

and he came to visit and he could wear my sneakers! Imagine my surprise then... and although he had great sneaks; he wanted mine... they were "tight" and black and they fit him... So, I gave them to him, and wear them he did, until they no longer fit.

It seems that between visits we would talk, we would love each other and look at the same moon and we would always end the conversation with:

"I love you to Pluto and back"

And then he grew some more:

He played like most kids but loved football and basketball...and he grew, and he got into games like WII, Xbox, and Rap...

and,

He Called Me Buddy Pal, his Godmother.

And at some point his little brother Kamryn came along...

and at some point Kamryn called me "Puddy Pal" and it has stuck, so now they call me each their own version.

With, "My Godmother" in front of it!

\\\|\\//\\\\

And all of a sudden they came to Florida and he looked like a grown-up... he is taller than me, can pick me up off the ground with no effort at all!

In his football uniform; he looks like

 "The Beast" and that is something to be feared by the opponents...

 a Lineman he is... and he is only 15; #51 on the field!

And

yesterday he grew some more

Now with a Learners Permit

He still calls me "Buddy Pal" his Godmother.

We've talked about many things in his young life; dreams, girls, desire, disappointments, sadness, grief,

expectations, hopes, happiness...

He has known of those.

We've talked about pride, humility, honesty and integrity. He is growing into those.

He is a part of my heart; my blood; I have great expectations for and of him.

He looks tough and he looks big and grown... but it is important to remember he is 15; his heart and his brain are still growing, still developing into who he will become. 

He views the world differently than those of us who long ago went through this rite of passage...

He still has to hear "NO" from time to time...

He has learned to argue his points; to speak strongly his opinions... he is growing, changing and coming into his own, he is "feeling his oats".

He still needs and seeks guidance, structure and knowing that he can count on those "in the family" for his truth, his strength and his knowing he will never be alone.

He still needs to know someone is there to help him with balance of mind-body-spirit.

Someone that will hold it all together if it feels like to much for him to hold... He can count on Buddy Pal, the Godmother for that, I promise him. And on others

"In The Family"

We watch and pray and HOPE that when faced with difficult decisions and choices that he will make the right ones.... we hold our breath like most do with young ones.  But for today, we know that a very important rite of passage has occured for him, and for that we celebrate with him, and secretly hope that the car won't start when he turns the key!

But for now it is OK to revel in this moment, to reflect back when moments like this were yours...

Take a nice deep breath... B   R   E   A   T   H   E

Do you remember your last moments like this?

The feelings that went with that rite of passage?

Ahhhhh....

Enjoy the memory.

Perhaps the greatest gift we can give our children is the words of Dr Seuss when they are of this age and guidance along with clarity, solid foundations that allow them to lean in to us always,  

providing humor, touch, hugs, kisses...

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." — Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You'll Go!)

Now of course we have to take creative license with the part of "any direction you choose" and "you're on your own"... remember he is but 15, not yet 25...

You get the idea though right?

When we are standing at the crossroad of a certain time or place... perhaps it would be good to stop and remember that most enchanting time... when we felt on top of the clouds... when a learners permit was "IT" and so were we. The next best thing would be a shiny red car sitting in the parking space with our name on it or the keys handed to us... Dream in living color.

The message being: love yourself, "beep beep" your horn for those monumental moments in life that make you smile til' your face hurts...

OWN YOUR DAY, YOUR MOMENT ALWAYS

But for today:

Let's think of Buddy Pal in his moment and some great moments of our own!

Rejoice

S T O M P

Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth. ~Erma Bombeck

And if that doesn't make you smile...

"Little children, headache; big children, heartache"

Italian Proverb

One thing is certain... I sure do have a

handsome Godson don't I? 

Look out Florida; we may have a new football player in a couple of years comin' our way!  "THE BEAST"

Oh yes.. and as for me handing over the keys to my

prized car???

heehe

I kinda think this quote sums it up for me now that I'm thinkin.

"The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant, and let the air out of the tires." ~Dorothy Parker

Atmosphere pleasant... check

Pool... check

Little ones on four legs... check

WII.... check

Fridge full.... check

Boat time....... check

Trip to Disney....... check

AllRighty then... think I'm good on atmosphere... now where is the switch to let the air out of tires???

I can't help but remember the last time we went to Disney... the family together. I had the CD player set to play a song for the boys as we approached the gates amidst the excitement. I said this is for you boys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIBediEAcUQ

and then I sang to them, changing the words to fit my Godsons' D'Vante and Kamryn~

By the time we left Disney... the whole family was singing this song and it has become a favorite for us... Somehow it seems appropriate for today's thoughts...

I'm goin to miss this

I already want it back

I sure wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

But

I am so very grateful to have had them all!

Congratulations Baby Boy, my Buddy Pal on this your most wonderful rite of passage... and NO you cannot have my car! LOL

The fire is burning brightly, its embers are hot... Sending healing thoughts of strength, humor, and light to you and yours on this beautiful morning...

We are together in prayer, in thoughts of all that is needed to remind you out there, we are WARRIORS... we are with you, along with some powerful angels... May you find comfort in knowing we are with you always:

FOR:


Our Black American Bears Lily and HOPE, their spirit, and Chris, Jill, the folks at the NABC, Joseph, Cathy M., Vicki and Matthew, Cindy in NC, Cindy C, Laura, Mitch and family, Liz, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Jude, COFA,Judi, Matthew, Matt, Mark's family and many friends , Andrea, Jimmy, Marie and family up in New England, Pat, Dorothy, Angela, Elijah, Ode, Linda M, "Southwest VA", Irene, Kevin, Dr D, Deb, Randy, Dr B , Charlie and family, Booker, Bernice, Jean, Julie, Rhonda, Victoria, Mildred, Andi and family, Irene, Faith, Denise, Jim, Tom, Joey, Shelby friends and family, Judi, Phylis, Joyce, Gina, Tonya, Beverly and Family, Janeth, Melissa, Pam, Virginia, Stacey, Kevin Edward Belevich and his Pops Jack Phelan, Elizabeth, Nita, Gary Siegal, Adrienna,Brian Mawbey, of Mafia Wars Please hold the friends and family of these people in your hearts and prayers as they begin that long and uncertain journey through grief ~






Wherever you are and whatever you are doing... STOMP... have a splendid day today....


You are in the arms of some powerful Warriors here ~

Walk In Beauty,
DRSES


author of

Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life
http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/