October 05, 2010

MAGIC MOMENT # 3: CIVILIZING BOYS


When I had all of my young boys, I thought: I will specialize!  I will teach them nobility, kindness, manners, culture, strength and French.  In short, I will teach them how to be civilized Gentlemen.  I took them to the track.  I taught them tennis.  We watched The Sound of Music (multiple times).  We had our own summer French ecole downstairs.  And we cooked.  So in our house they each have to...


play a sport / s and choose...


an instrument.  And Boonie, my big guy, has chosen the cello.  A very promising instrument in terms of civilizing and softening the heart.  And today was his weekly lesson with his wonderful teacher.

And as he is playing I begin to muse about how I love his teacher and the Suzuki philosophy of teaching children music.  I begin to think about Dr. Suzuki's quotes about how we are not in the business of creating Julliard musicians, but we are in the business of creating beautiful souls.  I begin to picture Boonie playing in a big orchestra.  Maybe wooing a sweet girl with his cello.  


A cute Charlie Brown character appears in the background, pacified by the music.  I am beginning to feel like these wild, crazy boys may have a chance after all at blossoming into fine young gentlemen and it is precisely at this point, when Boonie's wonderful teacher and I are smiling and watching him play with such ease of talent and feeling that he some how manages to...


Blow a stream of spit up and arch it back over his face and hair.  If I hadn't seen it myself, I would never believe it were possible.  I let out a gasp of horror.  He simply said: That is how I cool myself down.  His wonderful cello teacher and  I looked at each other.  What could I say?  That's my boy!

P.S. -- Experiments with Gluten-Free Pizza Crust are moving along.  Looking to post tomorrow!

2 comments:

  1. hahahahaha!!!!! That made my day! Such a great story! -Kathy

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  2. What a crack up! You've got to laugh about that one!

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