Passin' Notes

Both of my kids will be in double-digits by the time school is out this year.  12 & 10.  Crazy. 

They are, or soon to be, in the dreaded "Middle School Years" ...<gasp>... where most of us have many-an-awkward memory (if we haven’t figured out how to block them).

So… here we are, getting ready to coach our kids thru the chaos that is adolescence, and, ready or not, here it comes. Trish and I find ourselves starting to share stories of really embarrassing social interactions as well as some mountain-top-positive moments we experienced (the latter attempting to balance out the horror of the former). 

The current topic of sharing and reflection is the ever-so-adorable “Do-You-Like-Me?” note-passing process.  The first time we fumble through explaining our feelings for another and asking if they feel that way too has to rate right up there with the most nerve-wracking times of youth. 

But it’s also one of the most beautiful, and I think it’s one that we let go of too easily as we “grow up”.   As we get older, we start letting Hallmark talk for us.  We settle for innuendo because we understand adult humor.  We get all grown-up in our language describing love.  We stop asking if the other person reciprocates.  We take stuff for granted. 

I think I wanna start passing notes with Trish.  Wonderfully awkward and innocent notes that say stuff like, “I’ve been thinking about you for a super long time and I think you’re really neat.”  And that, “I have fun when we’re hangin’ out and I think we should do that more often.”   And ask her if she feels that way too. 

That’s the stuff that skips your head and just goes straight to your heart (and melts it).  The kind of stuff that says someone likes you no matter what you’re going thru at the time.   Really good stuff. 

Say a prayer for our kids (they’re gonna need it with the two of us as their parents), then get out there and get beautifully awkward with someone you “like” really soon.  You probably both need it more than you remember.   

Cheers.  pba.