fly away home

This weeks prompt for writers island is 'Renewal'. One way to translate renewal is as "A time of change" and "times they are a changin" in our home. I don't remember if I ever wrote about my oldest sons return to the nest. After living on his own during and after college, He decided to return to his home base. Frankly, It was quite a shock to us. He seemed to be enjoying his independence, and his visits home always seemed to end with him looking like he couldn't wait to get away from us! Remember when YOU were 23?
Too much time with your parents was... Torture! After all, What do WE know? We are TOO clean. We work TOO hard. We party TOO infrequently. We have TOO many rules. We spend our down time semi-comatose time.... (Don't get scared) WATCHING THE T.V.!! ( horror music please.) My son hates television. He enjoys music & very LOUD music. He is in a band that plays 'noise music' ( it makes heavy metal sound like easy listening). He enjoys chess, painting, cooking & yoga. He enjoys bicycling and living life to it's fullest. He is a free spirit. He doesn't want the traditional life that we live. He is hoping to go west next year, maybe California, maybe Oregon. He has visited these states and enjoyed them much more than NY. Much, MUCH more than Long Island. " Long Island is a strip Mall". I've heard that one... more than a few times.
So, even though it is mostly great....It has been an adjustment, a change.... having our baby back in the nest, For him as well as us. It is great to be able to hug him everyday. I had really missed him. I love that my 3 boys are hanging out together. I love the long talks we have, I Love that he appreciates my home cooking! I love that He plays scrabble with me without me having to beg! I love spending time with him.
I love when he comes home from work and tells me the cute things that happened during the day. He is working in an elementary school as a One on One Para to a Kindergardener with Autism. This cute story for example....He was helping another child unpack his lunchbox and all that was in it was a block of cheese! No drink, no bread. Cheese. A Big Block of Cheese! He got the child a bagel and he sliced some cheese and made him a sandwich! I'm so happy that he loves doing this job. I'm hoping it will help him make the decision to go on to grad school and pursue a teaching career. I think he would be an amazing teacher. He is the most tolerant, patient person I know. He is caring and kind. He is compassionate. I think he would be the type of teacher that kids would treasure. He is also a passionate artist, so he is debating if an Art teacher would be a better choice. I told him he could teach any subject or grade and still incorporate Art into the curriculum. He could be known as the teacher who lets you Paint your alphabet or draw the history of the world.
Wherever he ends up, geographically or career wise, I hope he will always know our home is his home. Home base. Here for him to fly to, whether his life is full of home runs or strike outs. We are here when he needs to re-group, re-think, renew.