I suppose you noticed how I dropped the word 'girlfriend' into that last post. Of course you did, I wrote it in all caps, which meant I really shouted it at you. LIKE THIS.
I hoped, hoped, hoped that B would have a smooth transition to his new school. I myself went to a lot of schools, and quite enjoy that chance to reinvent oneself that change brings. I wasn't sure how he would go, although the back of my mind was quietly confident, because he's a lot like me, and we just bounce into places like puppies and try our best to be loved.
He'd had a period at his primary school where one of the 'cool' boys decided he wasn't worth knowing (he probably did one stoopid little thing, none of us can remember what) and caused a ripple effect of ostracism, not for weeks or months, but for years, in the case of two or three boys. It got to the point where even those who started it couldn't remember how it started, but it carried on in a vague way through to high school, and B never really had a 'best' friend because of it, although he always had lots of people who liked him.
Moving schools locally has meant that he's kept the friends he really likes and had a chance to go somewhere where that little hum of something was unknown. And it's worked. He comes home bouncing every day, in love with everything, and getting more and more involved in the community of the school.
This photo was taken about nine months ago, but this is what he looks like most days, instead of only some days.
[photo courtesy of Art of Light Photography, Canberra]
Gorgeous, no? And happy. His girlfriend (E) and her friends seem to be creative, fun people. They persuaded him to join the school choir with them audition for the school play with them, and then on Thursday lunchtimes they have their own writing group. So he's writing and enjoying it. Wow!
My next big hope is that E treasures his kind, eager-to-adore heart and doesn't use it up and spit it out. That if they break up, it happens kindly and they stay friends, or that he can at least stay friends with her friends. It's only a hope, I have no influence in any of this, and of course he's going to have heartbreaks in life, so I just put it out there to the universe: be kind, please. It's the best I can do.
6 comments:
It is indeed a lovely happy photograph. Can I add more wishes to the ether that it continues.
Oh. He's a marvellous boy. Hope it all works out.
Awwwww... Of course you could have all those other thoughts in your head as a parent of a teenage boy. Mine went something like, "please be nice to him but not too nice so that you decide to settle down with each other aged 14 and never go out into the wide world and do all the crazy things you could do before you settle down"... and of course, the biggee, "I'm too young to be a grandmother!"
Mine is now 24, settled, happy and working hard; and despite several years of horizontal practice I am not yet a grandmother, although no doubt I shall soon be saying, "Please let me be a grandmother before I'm too old to enjoy it"!
He is lovely. I'm glad he's had a fresh start and is enjoying it so much.
So good to hear that things are better! I hope it stays that way for a long, long time!
Mine are in their 30s, and that's really all I want for any of them. Only one is truly settled, at this point.
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