We've been watching the Olympics all week long. As soon as John goes to sleep, I clean the kitchen, get the laundry going, bring up clothes to fold, and get all ready to watch tv for a few hours.
I get teary when people win, when they lose, when they fall, when they get hurt, when they receive a medal, when the country's song is played. The Olympics really make me weep and I love them. I don't want them to be over this weekend. I really enjoy the outdoor events the most. The speed skating and the figure skating are good, are fine, I'm just not that into them. I LOVE watching the skiing (downhill, slalom, free-style, super G, cross-country), and the snowboarding. Part of me thinks it could have been me going down (and up?) those snowy hills "back in the day." I was never very good at skiing, have never tried boarding, but I love going up to the mountain and pretending I'm good at skiing down the hills.
I wonder what the parents of all the competitors are going through. Now that I have my little munchkins, my whole perspective is different. The parents (I imagine) are worried sick that their children will be hurt or even die like the young man on the luge this past friday. They worry about their child failing, about their child's spirit breaking and feelings getting hurt beyond repair. They worry about things I cannot even guess. I also wonder now what sports John and Joseph will be involved in. Will they choose the sports Terry and I love or will they create their own passions? Will they ski or board? Will they play baseball or soccer? Will they run cross-country or play football? Will they play basketball or wrestle? How will I handle the stress? I want to be the kind of mom that my boys will be proud of. I want them to not be embarrased by me and I don't want to cry in front of their peers or their peers' parents. I want them to bring their friends to our home to hang out. Do I want my boys to be such great athletes at one sport that they become Olympic material? Do I want them to be so focused that they are not well-rounded? I want them to be healthy and fit and happy. They don't have to be the best or to be famous. They could be good at many sports or just one. And if they don't want to play sports, then I want them to be active and healthy and exercising every day. I want so much for my little boys. I want them to be good sports like Shaun White, the snowboarder. I want them to be hard-working and driven and fun-loving like Shaun White and Bode Miller. I want...I want...I want.... I need to let it be. To live and let live. To let my boys be whatever they are called to be. How do I let go of the control? Do I know better? I don't think so.
I get teary when people win, when they lose, when they fall, when they get hurt, when they receive a medal, when the country's song is played. The Olympics really make me weep and I love them. I don't want them to be over this weekend. I really enjoy the outdoor events the most. The speed skating and the figure skating are good, are fine, I'm just not that into them. I LOVE watching the skiing (downhill, slalom, free-style, super G, cross-country), and the snowboarding. Part of me thinks it could have been me going down (and up?) those snowy hills "back in the day." I was never very good at skiing, have never tried boarding, but I love going up to the mountain and pretending I'm good at skiing down the hills.
I wonder what the parents of all the competitors are going through. Now that I have my little munchkins, my whole perspective is different. The parents (I imagine) are worried sick that their children will be hurt or even die like the young man on the luge this past friday. They worry about their child failing, about their child's spirit breaking and feelings getting hurt beyond repair. They worry about things I cannot even guess. I also wonder now what sports John and Joseph will be involved in. Will they choose the sports Terry and I love or will they create their own passions? Will they ski or board? Will they play baseball or soccer? Will they run cross-country or play football? Will they play basketball or wrestle? How will I handle the stress? I want to be the kind of mom that my boys will be proud of. I want them to not be embarrased by me and I don't want to cry in front of their peers or their peers' parents. I want them to bring their friends to our home to hang out. Do I want my boys to be such great athletes at one sport that they become Olympic material? Do I want them to be so focused that they are not well-rounded? I want them to be healthy and fit and happy. They don't have to be the best or to be famous. They could be good at many sports or just one. And if they don't want to play sports, then I want them to be active and healthy and exercising every day. I want so much for my little boys. I want them to be good sports like Shaun White, the snowboarder. I want them to be hard-working and driven and fun-loving like Shaun White and Bode Miller. I want...I want...I want.... I need to let it be. To live and let live. To let my boys be whatever they are called to be. How do I let go of the control? Do I know better? I don't think so.
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