Yes...it is spelled correctly, anyway that is how the grocery store spelled it's name "eal" not "ael". What did I know?? I was only 21 years old!
There was once a mother who was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. Boys are not usually called beautiful but she thought her son was. He had a crop of soft brown hair and skin that looked bronzed and kissed by the sun at birth.
As she cradled her infant son in her arms and as she rocked him and sang to him she wondered, what he will be when he grows up? She couldn’t imagine anything other than her baby boy. He was so small and he depended so much on her. She only knew then, that what ever it was that he chooses, he would be great at it.
Her son always had a healthy appetite. The young mother thought she would never be able to satisfy it. If anyone was unsure of any food it became a common to say “give it to Mikie, he will eat anything”! As her son became a toddler the mother looked at him and thought again, what will he be? Maybe a mountain climber, that is what he is very good at right know! There wasn’t a table, chair or counter that the toddler couldn’t climb with little effort.
The toddler became an adolescent and the mother, indeed had her hands full. What will he be? Creeping, crawling insects always found a home in his pockets. Dead snakes and other inanimate objects such as a pocket full or rocks would find space in his bedroom, on window ceils and dresser tops. He had a pet rabbit, a pet turkey and a ferret.
The young mother would smile at the trenches he would dig to drive his trucks into and play soldier in. Holes dug with a shovel, hammer, rake, garden hoe or stick would appear in their back yard as ponds filled with muddy water where frogs, fish and lizards would find a new home. She thought of how smart her child was; he had a collection of plastic dinosaurs and they would come alive in his imagination, he knew each one by name.
Her son with much enthusiasm would hold the mothers face in his little hands and tell her wonderful stories of adventures he and his make believe friend “Tootsie Morrow” would do together. The boy was untouched by scary movies and thrived on the unknown because he would bring everything to life. He loved the outdoors and was never afraid to climb into the highest of trees and not require more than a kiss to fix a scraped knee or chin.
The child grew and the mother no longer wondered what her son would become, just as long as he gets through school and keeps a level head on his shoulders, she thought. A few more years went by and the son was now a senior in high school,
just about ready to graduate. The mother began to wonder . . . so she asked, “Son, what do you want to be?” She thought about the times he has said, “oh a cowboy, a fireman, a policeman, a truck driver, I want to be a pilot and fly those fast jets!” A lot of very good careers popped into the mothers head and she quickly rattled off all the great things SHE thought her son should become. All of a sudden the mother realized that this no longer was the small child she had cradled in HER arms and rocked and sang to! Before her stood a young man with lots of courage, a level head on his shoulders and great wisdom in his heart. He pulled his mother into HIS strong arms, rocked her and cradled her. Her silent Rock of Gibraltar, her strength when she needed a little extra, her joy at the man he had become no longer depended on her! She no longer wondered. She knew without any doubt that whatever he would choose to be; he indeed would be great at it.
A great SON, wonderful HUSBAND, loving FATHER.
What more could a mother ask for?
Micheal, thank you for choosing me as your mother. I have been blessed a hundred times over because of you. Dad and I are so proud of the man and father you have become. HAPPY 36th BIRTHDAY. We can’t wait to hear the details of your adventure today and your tandem jump! We hope it was all you imagined and more! OH THE STORIES that will come from this one! We love you……Mom and Dad.
