Youthful Wisdom

I don't like guns. I don't like war. I don't like my son playing with toy guns or playing war. However... my son has been "playing" with guns since he was two or three years old -- since he started making guns out of his Pop-Tarts and graham crackers. It's a losing battle....

Christopher recently has been saving his allowance in order to buy a "soldier set" he saw at Meijer for $15.99. When he finally had enough money, his daddy took him to the store to buy the toy. He was SO excited; he couldn't wait to show it to me when he got home. He immediately put on his whole costume and played soldier for the rest of the afternoon. I love to see him so happy and excited.

Earlier in the week, as I was telling Christopher for the 1000th time how much I don't like him playing with guns, he said, "Mommy, I enjoy playing soldier. It's fun to me. If you don't like it when I play soldier, then you don't like a part of me, because that's something I like. It's part of ME."

I've thought a lot about Christopher's words in the days since our conversation. I know I want people to accept me for who I am, even if they don't do what I do or love what I love... and I can see Christopher's need to have his mommy love and accept him as he is, guns and all... and I do.