What do you want to be when you grow up?

A few months back my son very seriously asked me to name the three things I wanted to be when I was his age. He said "what did you dream of being when you grew up?"

I quickly named

1. Law Enforcement Officer (FBI or State Police)

2. A Writer

3. A Psychiatrist

His entire body deflated and he looked so sad it almost made me cry.

I asked him "whats wrong pal?"

Letting out a sigh he said "how close did you come to being any of those things?"

Still not sure where his question was going I said "well you know what my job is so not very close"

(for those who don't know I am a technology manager)

Again his poor little face was covered in concern.

Realizing that this was more then just a simple conversation I asked him what he was thinking.

He said "well I have three things I want to be"

1. A hockey player

2. A writer

3. An Army man

"And I was wondering if I would ever get to be one of those things. But if you didn't get to be what you wanted I guess I won't either"

I literally cried.....it is these types of conversations that has led my friend Robin to state that she believes my son is an old soul what eight year old thinks this kind of stuff?.....anyway I looked into those sad blue eyes of his and I told him exactly what my father always told me.....

"You can be anything you want to be if you believe it and you work for it. I believe you can and don't ever forget that."

Although this did not immediately repair his broken spirit it did seem to give him comfort.

A day later he said to me "Mom you could be a writer you write all the time"

I dismissed this as he also thinks I have eyes on the back of my head.

But it was nice to hear even from a little boy that there was still time to dream.

I tell you this story because the reason I started this blog was for him.

I know this blog does not make me a "writer" in the eyes of......well anyone

but for my son it does.

To him me having this little spot on the Internet where I randomly write about nothing is something special.

He thinks its cool

(although he still worries about some of the content and whether people think I am crazy)

to him I am a writer and if that helps him believe in himself more then I am doing my job.

I don't know if I will ever publish a single thing but I will always write and I will try to remember that it is never too late to believe in yourself

sometimes it just takes someone reminding you that they believe in you.

Have a great Thursday!

The Traffic Light

Today I wanted to post my Moment that I shared at http://www.smithmag.net/

If you have never visited this site

you should

Although be careful if you are hopping on while at work because it may cause you to be fired

as you will become so obsorbed in the stories and 6 Word Memoirs that when you finally look up

from your computer it will be dark outside and you didn't do a single work related task all day!

If you do stop by I submit as Jennyjoy my Six Word Memoir is
 "Another reputation ruined by air quotes"

I'm weird I know.

Submit your own they are addicting!

Anyway I digress...below is my Moment that I submitted and it was featured for about a month on the first page of their site.

I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful tuesday!

Traffic Light

As I rushed to an appointment, I raced my car though a very yellow light just on the cusp of turning red. I thought for sure I had made it. The lights of the police car behind me told me I was wrong. I nervously told my six-year-old daughter in the back seat that everything was okay. She didn't seem concerned. As the officer approached my window he asked, "Do you know why I stopped you?" Before I could even begin to make an excuse, I heard the squeeky sound of the back window opening. Turning, I saw my daughter thrust her hand out the window as if raising her hand in class. Then she said, "I know why you stopped her, sir. She went right through that red light." The officer could barely contain his laughter as he leaned against my car and peered into the back window at my darling big-mouthed daughter. She proceeded to tell him that he shouldn't worry, because she would tell her Dad as soon as we get home. The officer handed back my license and told me he wasn't going to give me a ticket as he hoped my daughter's wisidom was lesson enough. Laughing the whole way back to his car, he slide back out into traffic, leaving me alone with my judge and jury. "You should know better Mom," my daughter said, shaking her head with disappointment her little fingers pressing the button to roll the window back up. I knew three things instantly.
My daughter was growing up fast while I raced about not realizing it.
It is just as important for our children to be proud of us as it is for us to be proud of them.
And the next time I am in a rush, I need to leave her home.
My daughter is now nineteen and away at college. I am proud of her. I am still working on making her proud of me.

Mrs Weasley

My daughter's best friend Michelle paid me the best compliment via text to my daughter.

She texted:

"This morning I was reading Harry Potter quotes and read the one where Mrs. Weasley is fighting Bellatrix, and Bellatrix aims the killing curse at Ginny, so she yells "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!!"  Your mom is sort of similar to Mrs. Weasley, because this is something she'd totes say if she was fighting a Deatheater." ***totes is teen speak for totally***

I love this compliment for two reasons

1. Michelle apparently sees me as the type of mother who would fiercely protect her child

2. Mrs Weasley is my favorite character in Harry Potter

Who doesn't love Mrs. Weasley? She is the epitome of a caring, loving and protective mother.

Throughout the series she is trying to protect and care for her children and Harry as she sees him as one of her own. 

 Mrs. Weasley, Molly, is sweet but stern with her brood of children.

My own children would probably say that

I lean more towards the stern

then towards the sweet

J.K. Rowling has stated in interviews about Harry Potter that the main themes in her books are children, parents, orphans and the love of a parent for their child.

This very reason could be why I love the books so much.

Molly screams "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH"  right after Fred is killed

and remember Rowling capitalized this sentence in her book I suspect because she was feeling the ferocious mother in herself when she was writing this part of the Deathly Hallows.

Bellatrix is taunting her about the death of Fred and then turns her sights on Ginny.....

 but Molly will have none of that

so the normally quiet woman whom we had never seen involved in a battle strikes with a warrior cry

and presumably kills Bellatrix although it is merely implied and not clearly stated.

It is this brave and loving act that Harry witnesses that causes him to find the strength to face Voldemort and his destiny.

I will admit I cried when I read this line in the book. And when I later read Deathly Hallows aloud to my son I got so choked up reading that part that my son asked me to stop reading for the night.

The Harry Potter series begins and ends with a mother facing death to protect her child. After all Molly really was no match for the insanely evil Bellatrix but she threw herself between Bellatrix and her youngest child anyway

and in the end a mother's love won against evil.

So..... Thank You Michelle. I am not sure I deserve the comparison but I'm glad you see me that way!