Keilab Goes To England

I don’t watch television, I’ve been away from social media for about 2 weeks and I haven’t done much internet surfing; however, there was NO WAY I could get away from the Olympics. Every where I turned, there was something being said or some article  about the 2012 Olympics. My interest was even heightened once my youngest Sun boarded a plane for London, England…..I’ll get to that in a minute….:-)

One of the Olympians that caught my attention was Gabriel “Gabby” Douglas. Not just because she’s Feminine and not just because she’s Black. Mainly because her story resonates with me on so many levels. At the early age of 3 it was apparent that she possessed the ability to rise to the calling of an Olympian. And at 12 years of age she was evolved enough to know that she needed MORE. She understood at 12 years of age what most people don’t get in a LIFETIME.

  She knew that if she were to ever live out her dreams she was going to have to make sacrifices.   If she were to ever become the Olympian that she was born to be, she was going to have to surround herself with other Olympians.  Where she was, was not where she was destined to be.  She would have to MOVE.

When I read her story and then watched the above video, I cried tears of relief.  This is why…..

When my ex-husband and I divorced, it was difficult for him.  I think more difficult for him than for me.  At least I had the children.  It was a few years before we came to the agreement that we would ‘share’ the children.  So for the past 12 years or so, we’ve ‘shared’ our youngest Sun.  On last year around this time, my Sun decided he didn’t want to be ‘shared’ anymore, but couldn’t quite decide where to live.  Initially he decided he wanted to live with me, but soon changed his mind.  It was a difficult and challenging time for ALL of us.  However through it all, I knew that I had to let go.  I had to allow him the opportunity to experience the consequences that come with his choices.  It wasn’t long before he was calling and asking me to ‘come home’.  He was angry and didn’t speak to me for a few weeks.  Telling him NO was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.  Yet, there was a voice inside reassuring me that I had made the ‘right’ decision.

On yesterday, he boarded a plane headed to London, England to play soccer with the Super Team.  With hard work and dedication he earned the privilege to play with the elite.  If I had given in and allowed him to just ‘come home’, I don’t think he would have made it on that plane.  I was soon reminded that our children come through us, not to us.  They are under our care for a brief time.  What we as parents decide to do with that time is CRUCIAL. Sometimes the greatest lessons are the hardest ones to learn.  Letting our children go so they may grow has been one of those kind of lessons for me….:-)

Jacque