Pirate Dreams

Last night I read my son his new book "The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate" by Margaret Mahy. The man grows up raised by his wild and crazy former pirate mother in a big city far from the ocean that influenced her. He loves his mother for who she is, but he grows into a rigid, practical person. This got me thinking about how we inspire our children. A friend (who doesn't have children) asked me if we were going to push Avery in a certain direction for his education. Did we want him to grow up to be exactly like us? Would I have had an easier life if I had allowed myself to be led? In our new book the man takes his mother to the sea and he is so amazed by it's beauty that he becomes a pirate too. When asked about his journey, the man says "Well. I didn't much like the idea to start with, but now there's this song in the back of my mind. I'm beginning to think I might like the sea when I get there." I hope that we give our son a song in the back of his head instead of a ring in his nose. I hope that he loves every minute of his journey through God's kingdom.