Recently Arayla (10.5) and I went through her entire bedroom for the first time in years, clearing out clothes and de-cluttering toys and books that were no longer relevant for her rapidly transforming being. It was quite a task, and took over a week to complete. The final product was a truly different room~ clean, simple, mature, and current.
So it didn’t totally take me by surprise when Ezra (almost 7) announced to me several days ago: “Mom? You know my bedroom? It’s just not really feeling like ME these days.” Respectfully humored, I asked him: “Really? What do you think needs to change so it can feel more like YOU?”
Fully expecting him to come back with some pressing desire for new bedding, or a Star Wars poster, or something pertaining to skateboarding or martial arts, I was completely taken aback when he responded with utter certainty and serious clarity: “I think what I really need Mom? Is an ALTAR with some GODDESSES on it.”
Yes. You heard me. That is exactly what my fabulously masculine, intensely athletic, lego-starship-building, taekwondo practicing, 2-weeks-shy-of-7 year old son said: he needs “an altar with some goddesses on it.”
Without missing a beat, I said: “Really~ goddesses? What goddesses are you thinking of?” He shrugged, then said: “Oh, you know. Maybe Artemis? She’s pretty cool with her bow and arrows. Or Athena with her owl? Or maybe Aphrodite? Mmm, yes...” he smiled, with a far-away look in his eye, “I do like Aphrodite.”
I grinned at him, somehow miraculously containing my laughter.
I pressed further: “What about Gods? Would you like any Gods on this altar?” He thought for a moment, and then said: “Sure. Yes. Poseidon is really great~ you know, for protecting the oceans. Or maybe Ra? Or Apollo? The Sun Gods?” I asked him: “How did you learn about all these gods and goddesses?” He looked at me with a puzzled look, as though baffled I could be so dense, then responded: “Everybody knows about gods and goddesses, Mom.” Duh.
I hadn’t forgotten about this conversation, and as his 7th birthday is rapidly approaching, I’ve been flirting with the idea of actually creating such a God/Goddess altar for him as a gift. So this morning as we showered together, I said, nonchalantly: “So, um, Ezra? Of all the goddesses, who do you think is your favorite goddess?”
He was playing on the floor of the shower with some little playmobil knights. He said: “What do you mean? Like who is my FAVORITE goddess in the Whole World?” I nodded, relieved to sense we were going to narrow this down to a single goddess for the altar: “Yes~ who’s your favorite one?”
He was quiet for a moment, then looked up at me, beaming love, and said: “YOU ARE, Mom!” Then he looked down at his toys again, and, shaking his head, added jauntily: “Obviously!”
Rendered speechless by the immediacy of his devoted love, my tender Mama heart cracked open even wider, once again. Obviously.
So it didn’t totally take me by surprise when Ezra (almost 7) announced to me several days ago: “Mom? You know my bedroom? It’s just not really feeling like ME these days.” Respectfully humored, I asked him: “Really? What do you think needs to change so it can feel more like YOU?”
Fully expecting him to come back with some pressing desire for new bedding, or a Star Wars poster, or something pertaining to skateboarding or martial arts, I was completely taken aback when he responded with utter certainty and serious clarity: “I think what I really need Mom? Is an ALTAR with some GODDESSES on it.”
Yes. You heard me. That is exactly what my fabulously masculine, intensely athletic, lego-starship-building, taekwondo practicing, 2-weeks-shy-of-7 year old son said: he needs “an altar with some goddesses on it.”
Without missing a beat, I said: “Really~ goddesses? What goddesses are you thinking of?” He shrugged, then said: “Oh, you know. Maybe Artemis? She’s pretty cool with her bow and arrows. Or Athena with her owl? Or maybe Aphrodite? Mmm, yes...” he smiled, with a far-away look in his eye, “I do like Aphrodite.”
I grinned at him, somehow miraculously containing my laughter.
I pressed further: “What about Gods? Would you like any Gods on this altar?” He thought for a moment, and then said: “Sure. Yes. Poseidon is really great~ you know, for protecting the oceans. Or maybe Ra? Or Apollo? The Sun Gods?” I asked him: “How did you learn about all these gods and goddesses?” He looked at me with a puzzled look, as though baffled I could be so dense, then responded: “Everybody knows about gods and goddesses, Mom.” Duh.
I hadn’t forgotten about this conversation, and as his 7th birthday is rapidly approaching, I’ve been flirting with the idea of actually creating such a God/Goddess altar for him as a gift. So this morning as we showered together, I said, nonchalantly: “So, um, Ezra? Of all the goddesses, who do you think is your favorite goddess?”
He was playing on the floor of the shower with some little playmobil knights. He said: “What do you mean? Like who is my FAVORITE goddess in the Whole World?” I nodded, relieved to sense we were going to narrow this down to a single goddess for the altar: “Yes~ who’s your favorite one?”
He was quiet for a moment, then looked up at me, beaming love, and said: “YOU ARE, Mom!” Then he looked down at his toys again, and, shaking his head, added jauntily: “Obviously!”
Rendered speechless by the immediacy of his devoted love, my tender Mama heart cracked open even wider, once again. Obviously.
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