Someday we'll all have perfect wings

Sometimes I worry that I raised Stomp to be too sensitive. Stomp's a lot like his mama. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he overflows with compassion. If there's a kid out there who no one will talk to, Stomp will talk to him. Got a kid who no one likes? Stomp adores that kid. A kid being bullied? Stomp will stand up for him even though he won't stand up for himself. See I wasn't really like that. I'm like that now. And when it comes to my boys? I dare you to find a fiercer grizzly in the woods. But I was a timid kid. I was a picked-on-kid. But I learned some things from two important characters in my life who you'll recognize.

My Jersey Mama is famous 'round these parts. And if you don't know who she is, she's mentioned constantly, read back a couple of entries. My mom is a shirt-off-her-back sort. I don't mean that figuratively. I mean if you needed a shirt, she'd happily whip hers off, put it on you, give you an extra long hug and then let her tatas fly. But my Mama was also Jersey tough so I didn't have to be. Kid picking on me? Mom was on the phone to the teacher. Doctor not taking my sickness seriously? Mom had no problem pretending to be a doctor to get straight through to a ped. I didn't have to be tough.

I also had my Moutain Mark, who one year for Christmas, instead of presents, asked for everyone to make donations to charity. He always gives his change to homeless. He's a sucker for any kid who comes by selling anything. And he does it with a jolly, loving sense of humor about everything. But he's ALSO tough. It would be an unwise man to mess with his only daughter or one of his grandsons. Or God forbid, my Mama, who he loves with a romance-novel-forever-love.

So I raised Stomp the same way. You love first. You be kind first. You be polite first. When do you not be polite? Well when someone's been a real jackhole, that's when. But Stomp has trouble getting to that point. He thinks he needs to be kind even to the little a-hole delightful child who will NOT leave him alone. So I do what my Mom did. I'm a fixture in the principal's office demanding they do something about this monster delightful child. OH I tried, I really did. I explained to Nathan maybe he was having a rough week and that's why he picked on Nathan..no maybe it was a rough month, a rough year...but when you get to "oh hey the kid's having a rough life" then it's time to stop taking it on my kid. I don't want the kid beaten or punished too severely. I wanted him consistently treated with the kindness he needs to quit being a bully.

And I think to myself that though I wish Stomp was tougher sometimes, I turned out okay because of my Jersey Mama and my Mountain Mark. They give me all my good parts.

So with that, I give you this. Enjoy. I cry every time I hear it and it's been out on the radio a looooong time. I encourage you to watch it, even if country ain't your thang. The message is important. Play it for your kids. Hell, print out the words and make 'em read 'em. Something. Pssst. Pass it on. "Someday we'll all have perfect wings".