in the now

My son’s entry into last year’s Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby was “The Green Streak.” That car won him 3rd place and a trophy that is still sitting on his bookcase.

His entry this year was “The Flying Doorstop.”

It didn’t win him a trophy (”just a medal,” he said afterward, disappointed), but he still had fun watching all of the cars race down the track on Derby day.

He’s in 2nd grade, you know. Still innocent. Still sweet. Although starting to come home with more and more inappropriate fart jokes that he learns on the school bus.

It’s so fun to see him grow and come into his own personality more and more each year. Become more and more independent each year.

But I have to admit, I am bracing myself for the “middle years” that I now realize are closer than I think. Mean kids. Teasing. Unrequited crushes. Embarrassing moments in gym class.

And even though I know those things are a) unavoidable, and b) almost necessary in order to learn healthy life coping skills, I still sometimes wish I could preserve his current sweetness forever.

Or, you know, maybe just keep him in my pocket all the time for safekeeping.

But I will enjoy his sweet, happy, wonderfulness right now.

And I will do my best to help him cross all of those Life’s Hard Lessons bridges when we come to them.