Reminiscing...Michael-style

After my workshop yesterday I had put away the green card table that had served as a project station when Michael asked where it was. I didn't understand what he wanted it for and told him that it was in my craft room, where I was using it to store some things that were left from the class. After I walked away, it dawned on me why he had been asking about it--he wanted to make a blanket fort like he had when he was younger. His writing assignment for language arts was prompting this, I'm sure, because he hasn't made a fort in years.

So, I cleared off the table and returned it to the living room, and this is what has been set up between the sofa and the wingback chairs. While we were out last night on a date, I think he spent the entire evening hunched over and hunkered down in there, playing a computer game on my husband's laptop. And you know what? I think he was completely content. The first thing he asked me this morning was if I had taken the fort down after he went to bed. I hadn't, but we're having a group of friends over for dinner tonight,and I told him we may have to move it. He didn't want me to, and I may just indulge him and let it remain.

We all feel the need to journey to the past from time to time and get in touch with our old selves and the good things we remember from days gone by. Why should he not allowed the same luxury, just because doing so creates a little different scenery? He's going to be leaving this house in 5 years, and the world is shoving him toward adulthood, trying to rush what nature affords a long period for. So if he wants to take a few steps back as he walks forward toward that marker, I'm fine with that.

May you have a restful day...that's what it was made for.