Kindergarten has been a real awakening for me as a mom.

I knew the world was going to get bigger for my son,  but I wasn’t {am not} really ready for it. It has been as many firsts for me as it has been for my boy and we are both taking it as it seems to slap us upside the head in, “it’s time to grow up,” kinda ways.

We played at the park the other day and I watched my boy with this ridiculous smile on my face as he ran into friends from his class. He has waited for 6 months to make friends his age! The neighborhood and classmate kids played tag and ran their afternoon crazies off while I watched and honestly just thanked God as I took it in. We left the park saying our goodbyes to head home for baths as the other kids broke off for their evening to-do’s or chasing each other around the block on their razors. My mommy-heart was FULL.

An hour later, an urgent and persistent knock on the door.

One of the little girls in the neighborhood had figured out which house was ours.

I couldn’t help but smile & think, “so it begins….” The requests to come and play, the separation of mom and child, the growth edges on both sides of parent and baby sharpening both hesitantly and eagerly.

I sat on the porch while the kids played. I talked to my neighbor in the quick catching up moments you can catch as an adult between watching your child and needing adult connection. My husband arrived home taking it in: our boys were playing–freely and safely–with a new classmate and neighborhood friend. And as all good times must come to an end, so did this one. We called our kids in & sent our new friend off with goodbyes.

But wait.

My oldest, true to his core and very being, had a final touch to put on his perfect afternoon,

“Here, Lisa. It’s a flower for you.”

My lips curled out and my head tilted while my hand went to my heart in the “that’s so precious!” manner.

She stared at it, turning it over in her hands then quizzically replied, “this isn’t a flower, it’s a weed.” And she tossed it to the ground riding off into the cloud cover.

My little’s whole body sulked & I ached.

Daddy rushed to him explaining, “Hey buddy, it’s ok. You were both right, it’s a weed and a flower.”

Our 5 year old with a heart bigger than I can even explain was crushed and couldn’t let go of his gift being tossed aside for almost 30 minutes. He begged us to tell her that it hurt his feelings and we used it as a learning moment. First, when someone gives you a gift, never throw it to the side; embrace it with thanks. Second, when we are hurt, we use our words and talk it out.

The next day at school, our sensitive and reserved boy used his words.

“Lisa, it made me sad when you threw my flower,” he told her.

“I’m sorry,” Lisa replied.

He did it! He did it and he came home and told me about it. I was SO proud of him for taking the hurt and turning it to healing!

If the dandelion isn’t a perfect metaphor for events in life, I don’t know what is. So symbolic of how we each see things differently; the opportunities we have to spread seeds of hope, hurt, and/or healing.

Ugh. This mommy thing may be the death {and new life} of me….