I Don't Wanna Grow Up...

Man...

As if my life wasn't crazy enough, this coming weekend is a double-whammy. On Saturday we've got a HUUUGE Cub Scout event coupled with a pack overnight, for which I am responsible for coordinating the edibles. On Sunday, we're all going into Boston to participate in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk with my wife's family (as her mom is now a 12+ year survivor).

And, to top it all off, my son is having a personal crisis. He's all of six. He's having trouble with the concept that your friends can have friends other than you - he thinks that if his friend plays with someone else at recess, that friend is no longer his friend. Both Mrs. G. and I have tried to allay his fears, but to little avail. It's heartbreaking to see such a young man grappling with weighty concepts as personal space and clingy-ness. But it's all part of growing up.

And speaking thereof... Just when the hell did I become the grown-up? I'm standing there, listening to my son pour his heart out to me, and I realize that he's doing this because he needs my guidance. Whoa... That's pretty heavy stuff right there. I am totally being the grown-up here.

I mean, doing the full time office gig is bad enough. Making the car payments, getting the mortgage off on time, all that; it's all been part of the process.

But when you realize that this little person is looking to you as a role model, well... Man... That just really floors me sometimes. I hope I'm up to the task.

And then I read the newspapers (well, okay, I skim the news websites) and see all the other DNA donors out there and realize that I could be doing a shitload worse. And it makes me feel just a little bit better.

I love my kids more than life itself. I'd do anything for them. Problem is, you've gotta be REALLY careful not to do everything for them.

This being the grown-up sucks. *I* want to be the six year old...