While I was out gallivanting on my Harry Potter London experience (speaking of awesome, more on that later), Bryan took the kids on a day trip to Petit Jean State Park. It’s one of the natural beauties of the Natural State.
Of their trip, he shared a “quotable moment” from Boy Genius (BG). They’d been hiking all day and even trekked down a “treacherous” trail to stand behind the waterfall that everyone else was pointing at. (At this point in the retelling, Bryan pauses to interject: “I’m sure they were all commenting on what a bad parent I am, because no one else was back there.”) Afterwards, the Girl said “That was so cool. I couldn’t think about my past or my future, just about what was happening right then.” And BG replied, with a big smile, “You know what that’s called? A moment of awesomeness. I have them all the time.”
Quotable indeed, and true to form. I, of course, shared this with my fellow London gallivanters, as I so often do with BG stories. Â At dinner out with the family a few days later, I was sharing how my friends always get a kick out of those stories. This was when Wonder Boy [WB] spoke up: “I know you wish I wasn’t your son.” Stunned silence all around. Finally finding my voice, I said, “[WB ], what do you mean?! Of course I want you for my son.” When he didn’t reply, BG interjected, “Well, cause you’re always offering to give him away.” Looking from BG to WB, I saw the latter nod his downturned head.
And it’s true, I often reply to “he’s so cute!” comments with “you want him?” or the like. Trying to be funny, all in good humor, of course. But it’s not funny if no one’s laughing. Looking at his sad face thinking I don’t want him just broke my heart. You know what that’s called? A moment of epic failure. And unfortunately, I have them all the time.
So I vowed to him then and there that I’d never say it again, and spent the rest of the night trying to convince him how much I love him and kicking myself for being a moron. Little eyes and ears see and hear everything, and their owners may not think about what happened before or what is to come, just how they feel in the moment. Though words can’t break bones, they can hurt deeply; and we all must watch our words to make our moments awesome.