Lately, because it is the pre-summer season of the easterly winds, I have been fascinated to watch the wild birds here (many of them very tiny breeds) fly into, or against, the wind. Sometimes it looks as if they are simply standing still, high up in the air, fixed into the sky, surreal. Then, all of a sudden, they will sort of dive down, or arrow up, defying the wind and landing in the trees, trembling and triumphant.
When I was six, I wrote my first song and I still remember the tune, although I don’t remember the lyrics beyond line 2. It went like this:
My little bird flies in the sky
He’s never afraid of the wind
Of course I soon became famous (NOT!)
Anyway, I remember singing it to my parents and their pride in my trilling was reward enough. I also remember my little brothers grimacing. Brother 1 (four years old) was already very good at mockery, and Brother 2 (two years old) just seemed bemused; I think he was too busy stuffing a whole banana into his mouth, something he was very good at.
If Son were to know that, in my heart, he is that little bird, he would probably throw up [please let him have unsubscribed by now!] but I quite like testing the limits of his love-endurance, and my own sentimentality makes us all laugh!
However, I do like the idea, in that second line of my childhood song, about not being afraid of the wind. There is always wind and there is always fear, but one of the things I most admire about Son is his ability to ‘fly’ against and into the wind despite the risks involved in not quite conforming, of not allowing himself to become a 17-year-old caricature of a 17-year-old caricature.
So this is my new song:
Caught in a sliver of moment
A half grin
A near wink
The camera brings his soul into his face before he escapes….
Country boy
Gentleman
Renegade
Party animal
My son
Flying into the wind….
jmgoyder 
really . . . this blog is quite pleasant, intuitive and uniquely insightful. nice job. cheers.
Ok, thanks but your use of the word ‘quite’ is a bit like me saying your blog is ‘nice’.
Sorry, just having a giggle – hope you don’t mind!
A lovely post, as always, keep them coming.
Psst, here in the UK, its winter, brrrrr
It’s 36 and muggy here – ghastly!
I could put up with muggy just down, put the kettle on, I’m a-coming 🙂
Okay – see you soon, I wish!
What the PhD said, and you can insert whichever superlative you like for “quite.” 😉
I loved this post. ~ Lynda
(BTW, did you read the Doc’s pedigree? High praise indeed!!!)
Yes, I shouldn’t have been so cheeky!
Lovely photo of your son. I especially like the reflection on the left.side which you’ve included.
Yes, my niece, Jane, took the photo. She is much better at it than I am!
One day (I did say one day :)) he’ll see that sentimentality as a precious gift
I’ll take your word for it!
Nice blog, very interesting! Ann
Thanks!