Different

We were listening to the radio in the car this weekend, and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" provided what we in the education business like to call a teachable moment.  Ethan is now at an age where he catches and comments on *everysingleword* of song lyrics.  "Mom, why do they say that you can't get what you want?" he asked.  "Well, baby - that's life.  Sometimes you don't get the things that you want."  He pondered for a minute or two in silence, and then said, "Oh, like when I ask for a second string cheese at dinner, and then you say no.  'Cause I can't always get what I want."

Inspired by the quirky way that my kid could equate one of the best songs by the Rolling Stones to a lesson about balancing moderation and his love of dairy, I picked up the iPhone and interviewed my oldest boy.  I got some pretty predictable answers, but a few that blew me away.


I love his outlook on colors.  I never want him to grow up thinking that he can't like or be or do things.  Live without limits, baby.  Be who you want to be.  Make your bleeding heart liberal mama proud.
We have a lot of good car conversations, as it turns out.  On the way home today, Ethan started talking to me about being different.  It was so great that I pulled my phone out (at a stoplight, guys - no putting my kiddos' lives in danger!) and turned on the voice memo feature.  This is what I got:
"Everything doesn't have to be the same.  Because, everything is different, and that is a good thing.  Then we can be just like ourselves.  I want to be myself, so I am myself.  And other people are other people.  We can all just worry about being ourselves.  I think some trees grow big, and some trees grow small.  And it's okay if they all grow a little different."  
That's my boy.