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| Harley and Jackson, nine years ago |
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| This weekend, Kevin and Jackson |
"Dear Jackson,
Remember when you were little - from age three until just after you started elementary school - you wore a superhero costume every day? How many of those costumes did you have? Superman, Batman, Robin, The Green Goblin, we had two boxes full of them and you wore them all.
It still makes me smile to think of your skinny little person climbing into one of those get-ups. I would tie it at the back and fix the mask over that wiry red hair of yours. Somehow, seeing your freckly nose poking out of that garish fabric and a peek of your crooked smile, all was right with the world.
The funny thing was, you were incredibly shy, quiet and self-contained and you disliked the attention it attracted. "Superman!" people would call to you all day, everyday: "Look at you! Superman! Oh boy - we're all safe now!"
You shrank from those well-meant calls: "Why do they think I'm Superman?" you once asked genuinely puzzled: "Can't they see it's just a costume?"
I have wondered for years why you wore those costumes every day for two years. You weren't trying to be Superman or Batman or Robin, you didn't like the attention, so what did those costumes mean to you?
You suddenly stopped wearing those costumes a couple of weeks after starting elementary school. We could never find out why. Just recently you finally told me that one of your friends had said: "Jackson, we're at Big School now. You need to stop wearing those costumes. That's baby stuff." I was really sad when I heard that. It was too late to tell you that many grown-ups I know would love to wear a costume every day. That it wasn't costumes that made you special, it was the fact that you had chosen to wear them.
Maybe that's the thing; you knew you couldn't be Superman but the costumes were somehow protecting you from all that the big world could thow at you.
Jackson, I wish I could fold you into one of those superhero costumes again...and nothing from our human world would ever bring you harm.
Love, your Mum"
This is extremely sweet. So sweet it made my eyes misty. I love to see my daughter grow and develop. What a joy!
ReplyDeleteI have a lump in my throat reading that it was so full of soul. I am about to pack in my day and trundle off to bed where my youngest is sleeping on a giant floor pillow becuase his brother is away for the week. He says it is to keep me company; he has a point! Hope Jackson has a great time!
ReplyDeleteAh, that's lovely. What a wonderful letter to treasure for years to come. My older one is doing camp all day - not sleepaway but it's a long day - and I can just imagine!
ReplyDeleteOh! So beautiful. He will treasure it.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing letter, Jody. Almost made a certain Bear tear up a little. Sniff.
ReplyDeleteI hope Jackson has a great time, perhaps in spite of his "loving" brother's note.
Blessings and Bear hugs to him, and his mum.
'sniff'......aah our boy/men....they break our hearts don't they?
ReplyDeleteAw so sweet.
ReplyDeleteWow- a very powerful note. I am sure he will always treasure that. :)
ReplyDeleteThis letter is so emotional! It made me cry! Maybe I am too sensitive!
ReplyDeleteJackson was so cute wearing that costume!!
Hugs and kisses
Oh, what a sweet letter, Jody. You have the most beautiful family! :)
ReplyDeletethat letter was so sweet and how awesome to have that to keep always. Your son is just so handsome and you have a wonderful blog. I am so thrilled you stopped by my site so I could find yours! I am your newest follower and hope you have a fabulous day
ReplyDeleteAah - he'll never admit it, but he will be thrilled with that letter and keep it forever. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteok, i don't even have kids and this makes me all sappy. hope you're doing well, beautiful lady.
ReplyDeleteI'm crying! Every night I tuck my 7 and 6 year old ones into their beds I wonder how did they get so big so soon. Seems like they were just born yesterday.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good mommy you are!
Oh my, this made me weepy! What a sweet letter to your son on this milestone of attending sleep-away camp. I wonder how I will fare when my kids do that. My 4-year old son was wearing his Spiderman costume just the other day - I'll now think of this story when I see him trying on his super hero costumes. May we always hold onto the costume-dressing-up mentality. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so incredibly sweet! What a precious letter.
ReplyDeleteThat is lovely. Of course he'll probably shrug and say "oh mom!"
ReplyDeletePS -- coffee soon?
oh how cute!
ReplyDeletei tell you what, on his eighteenth birthday, have that first image super imposed on his birthday cake. i bet you he'll love it...
If he's embarrassed at your note it will just be on the outside - inside he will be comforted by the message of love.
ReplyDeleteThis is incredibly touching. It reminds me of Jacob... how he wore his little Spiderman costume until the legs were practically up to his knees. And Hailey... the queen of 'dress-up.' All ferries & princesses for that girl- and a few of Jacob's old costumes too :).
ReplyDeleteI'm now sitting at my desk with tears running down my face, looking a complete prat! Thanks a million :)
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ReplyDeleteLovely. Jackson has inspired me; I think I'll cut out a big fabric 'V' and sew it onto all my blouses!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful letter. I can totally relate to how you feel as I have a 13-year-old boy and there's something special about the mom/boy relationship. I hope Jackson is having a great time at camp. My son was on a class trip for a week recently and I missed him like crazy. Him...not so much:)
ReplyDeleteYou are an amazing writer, and that letter gave me the chills!! Thank you for sharing that with us. So sweet.
ReplyDeletexo
wow, this letter is something. great job. i would love to recieve this letter if i was your son. :)
ReplyDelete:)
Carrie
http://readmylifeascarrie.blogspot.com/
I started to get a lump in my throat when I saw the first photo. I am such a sap and all teary now. That's the sweetest letter ever, you are such a good mom Jody!
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
very sweet this post :D
ReplyDeletexx
Have a nice weekend :)
www.sickbytrend.com
Aww - that made me go all wobbly cos it was so sweet. And then I went all different wobbly.... We have pretty much said goodbye to the last of our costumes when we moved recently apart from a couple of odd props. I always thought they looked sweet but hated the nylon and colours etc. Now I'm putting myself in their 'shoes' when they wore them and feeling dreadfully guilty!!! I never once thought about what they must have been imagining when they wore them - and now they're all too big and don't do it! I don't think I instigated the purging but am now worrying I wasn't exactly 'cool' at the time - ohh.... do I have to do guilt for EVERYTHING? Oh Oh Oh!!!
ReplyDeletethis is just soo sweet!!!
ReplyDeletei remember when my son went away for the first time.... does it ever get easier? i dont know!
Oh my goodness what an awesome post!! Your letter I am sure will bless your son so much!! Those pictures are so adorable.
ReplyDelete