Close to My Heart (Dar Williams)

I'm still recovering from Falcon Ridge, so am uncharacteristically out of words - however, I couldn't let another day go by without sending skyward Happy Birthday wishes to Eric, my "baby", who turned 19 on July 28 (we're celebrating ours together this Sunday).

My pregnancy with him was... unexpected... and he truly is a chosen child - he's been such a blessing, responsible for my gray hair, but all my laugh lines too. He's stubborn, witty, disorganized, kind-hearted, a know-it-all, generous - I must admit, when I get the most frustrated with him, I realize I'm exactly the same way... :-)

I've said that Dar has written songs for all three of my children, released close to the time each of them went away to college - the following is E's... <3

SONG: Close to My Heart by Dar Williams

BOOK: Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

POEM: Learning the Bicycle by Wyatt Prunty

The older children pedal past

Stable as little gyros, spinning hard

To supper, bath, and bed, until at last

We also quit, silent and tired

Beside the darkening yard where trees

Now shadow up instead of down.

Their predictable lengths can only tease

Him as, head lowered, he walks his bike alone

Somewhere between his wanting to ride

And his certainty he will always fall.

Tomorrow, though I will run behind,

Arms out to catch him. He'll tilt then balance wide

Of my reach, till distance makes him small,

Smaller, beyond the place I stop and know

That to teach him I had to follow

And when he learned I had to let him go.

QUOTE: "Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body." ~ Elizabeth Stone