Lucky 13

Tomorrow, one of my special children officially becomes a teenager. He has always been sweeter than this world rewards.

When my mother was dying, and I decided to fly back to be with her, he insisted on coming with me. He was eight. It was he who helped me realize that it was time to let her go.



Last year, in his seventh grade class, a substitute teacher made an unforgivable error. In announcing the results of a class election for representation on the student council, this teacher revealed that one girl had gotten zero votes.

Aidan let out a sound that seemed like a laugh. In fact he was shocked that the sub could subject the girl in question to such humiliation.

She, of course, broke into tears. The sub then yelled at Aidan, who also disolved in tears.



That's my son. In our family, he is both the oldest and a middle child. He has an older brother and a younger brother. Hehas two older sisters and one little sister.



He's an amazingly complicated person. Beautiful (thanks to his mother), bossy (as per his position in the family), naturally athletic in ways that bring tears to my eyes, because he is pure art in motion. He is fast, strong, smart and aggressive on any court or field, whether the game be soccer, basketball, baseball, or junkyard kickball.



Still, it is his heart that most matters to me.



He has a huge heart, which expresses itself in uncommon kindness toward others, and an empathy that can neither be taught nor compelled. It just comes from his inside.



As I post this tonight, I just hope one day, after I am gone, he will discover this, and realize how much I love him.



Happy 13th Birthday, Aidan Matthiessen Weir!

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