Proud mama

Originally uploaded by Julie H.

For his martial arts class today, Joey was supposed to answer these questions: 1) what do you want from life; 2) who will help you achieve it; and 3) what's the first step. These sound like hokey questions for a nine-year-old, but Joey took it very seriously. As we were discussing it last night he actually worked himself up into a tearful state, imagining himself as a grownup businessman who was so busy going to meetings all the time that he had no time to spend with his family. His goal, he said, was an "anti-goal." He wants to be relaxed and happy and spend time with his family. So, to answer the questions: 1) I want to be free from stress; 2) Mom & Dad; and 3) write a list of things that make me feel stressed. Several of the adults in the class, but none of the other kids, had similar goals. One of the adults said to Joey, "join the club!" which made him feel ten feet tall. I don't know what I'm proudest of: that he took this question so seriously; that at 9 he can picture himself as an adult; or that he's got his priorities straight.

And what a little heartthrob, huh?