I gave a little boy a hula hoop,
tonight, I drove four hours
to see him perform with it...
and was amazed!
My paddle board friend and I,
send texts back and forth
in the a.m.
Paddling? The P word
no one can resist,
when, where, who?
Then one that's states
she's bummed to be missing
Caden's (her grandson)
talent contest that night!
Hmmm?
A tug, a pull
having been the one to give
this cute little guy
the hoop in the first place.
This is a no brainer.
Well, actually it was
a gift to his mom
for the hospitality
of a May stay at their
lovely accommodating home,
while doing a show.
But when Caden got a hold of it,
and created his own moves
without instruction or help,
he was a natural,
I was enchanted.
We smiled a lot at each other
over that week end
for our mutual "hoop fascination."
(And the last time I had
something in common with
a eight year old boy?
...I was probably,
the same age and trying
to beat him up a tree...)
So, yes, enchanted!
Later that month, he decided to
hoop for his 3rd grade talent contest
but "mom" was concerned...
(like most moms would be)
Was it just for girls...?
(well, it was when we
were growing up)
Would he get teased?
All valid and common concerns,
according to my hoop instructor!
So I looked around
and found the coolest male hooper,
who hoop dances blind fold...
now there 's an idea!
Secretly, I was cheering Caden on.
I wanted him to perform
and was certain
he would show the school
hooping is cool for boys too!
He's that kind of little guy!
That was the last I heard
of it until this morning's text!
My immediate response was
"I don't want to miss it either,
Road trip? Let's go!"
Hours later, we are on the way
to Henderson (two hours away)
to a third grade talent contest,
My new friend,
(his grandmother,) and I,
(okay...so when, did this happen?
That my friends now have the
title "grandma"
attached to their names?)
Tho, its a lifeless trek across
the hot landscape
we manage to jabber
every mile away,
with colorful, insightful
and unending subject matter...
a perfect adventure...
Caden doesn't know we are coming
...and it's his mom's birthday!
Even Better!
Now, it's been sometime since
I have been to any kind
of third grade event,
let alone, elementary anything.
What a surprise...
the presentation was cute, hip!!
Not the stuff I remember ours being,
with yawn worthy dance numbers
and dusty old songs!
This was cool kids doing
cool dances
and singing cool songs
(okay, I have overused the word, cool)
Lady Gaga, a big favorite.
The teachers doing a
fantastic job making sure every kid
got a chance to shine.
We don't see Caden
until he's on stage,
No one has seen his routine yet,
...not even mom,
all his own idea!
We sit in nervous anticipation.
His dance is to a popular
country western song,
with cowboy hat and the hoop
whipping lasso like around his waist,
there's even a couple linedance moves,
and his cowboy hat waving in circles,
rodeo style.
It is so COOL!
(promise, thats the
last time...well maybe not)
and the crowd thinks so too...
cheering uproariously.
I have to turn away
cause, geeeeez,
my eyes are watering.
(What a Baby.)
But so proud to be a part of this!
The best part is his face when
he sees his Grandma Lou Lou
afterwards,
so lit up and pleased!
Makes me think of the
10,000 Maniacs song
These are the Days.
these are days,
you'll remember,
never before,
and never since,
I promise,
will the whole world...
be as warm as this.
And as you feel it,
you'll know its true,
that you are blessed,
and lucky,
its true that you
are touched
by something
that will grow and bloom!
We had to pull out
our reserve stories
for the return trip
back across the desert,
its late and staying awake
a challenge
but for fairly new friends
there's still so much to say
while agreeing over and over
how glad we were
that we went,
how important it is to
at times to say, lets go!,
to give into things that pull,
make it an adventure!
If I hadn't...
If we hadn't...
we would have missed out
on something
that made us both cry and beam
this young man's shiny moment
on taking a chance,
doing something
so cool,
other boys will want to do it too.
( I am hoping so anyways)
So if you get a chance
to go across the desert late at night
for something out of the ordinary,
attend something elementary,
or try something unconventional
feeling a tug...?
just say YES!!!
Cause these are
the days to remember.
Pam Piper Rain
