My First Chance






It was my first chance to stay a couple days with my grandson. Well, maybe not my first chance, but it’s the first chance I’ve had since he’s become a young man. He’s closer to adulthood than ever. His folks had a scheduled trip, and even though he’s long past needing “babysitting” I thought it would be a great time to follow up with his request to re-paint his bedroom.

The last time I painted his room he was a young boy. I used the vibrant green and blue colors of the NFL Seahawks. With my novice painting talents, I taped the edges so the bright green didn’t seep into the brilliant blue. It was striking, even with some painter imperfections. Seahawk posters and championship regalia added character. He loved having his poster heroes as roommates. 




That was years ago. He’s long past the childhood dreams of being a pro player. My homemade Seahawk curtains are coming down, along with the matching team-themed bedspread and pillows. Goodbye, player posters. That’s not who he is any more.

 

He’s requested solid grey walls. I love the idea, but I love my grandson more. He’s finding his true self in a cyber world of choices. As I paint, I’m thinking of the years he’s spent in this room. He’s learned how to play sports, he’s learned Spanish, and tackled the kind of math that makes my head hurt. He’s memorized chemistry formulas and now drives the car instead of me. Most important, he's grown a heart that cares deeply for others.


As I paint over vibrant green, I wonder how many coats of grey it will take.


But isn’t that how it is? We alter our appearance, but underneath, there’s still a trace of who we once were. 




I’m thankful for my first chance to be with my adult-sized grandson and help him create a new room image—I bet this will last until he leaves home in a couple more years. 


This first chance to be alone with him could well be my final chance to do something like this. Life goes by quickly.


So, I’m enjoying every paint stroke, and the laughter and love we shared in the process of change.




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