Identity

I had a very pleasant afternoon last Saturday. Kristin called and said she and Rowan were coming over to visit. Saturday morning I had watched the video of Rowan being one of the Kerry dancers. He performed very well to the Irish tune playing in the background. He is a natural! I suddenly wished that I could see him again and get up close and personal with him. I really haven't had a chance to spend much 'quality' time with him. So when Kristin called to say they were coming, I was very pleased. Maureen was taking a nap because they had just spent time visiting Bernheim Forest and she was worn out. Rowan is portable when he is napping.

Anyway, he woke up when he got here and I held him and got the full benefit of his charm! He smiled, babbled, kicked and showed his dimples. He is getting so big and so social all of a sudden. Kristin said she looks at him once in awhile and says, "Who are you?" I had the same experience! He does not look at all familiar. He has light hair, beautiful blue eyes, but not Tim and Maureen blue and he is fair of face and full of grace. (Hence the dancing).

He is just Rowan! He has his own look, his own identity. If that doesn't change, he will grow up much as I did with the ever present question, "Who does he look like?" I heard that query all of my life. Why does society think we each one of us have to look like someone else. Why can't we just look like ourselves? Why can't we be individuals?

I had to tolerate a battery of questions growing up. Where did the red hair come from,? Where did the freckes come from? They would always remark about how short I am, as if my family had not noticed. They would tick off the physical characteristics of my immediate family that I failed to inherit. Hair color, complexion, height, disposition and so on. One of my cousins, one time, could not remember my name and by way of getting the others to know who he was speaking of, said,"You know, the short, funny looking one" (I tried to follow his career as closely as I could, because I felt sure he would end up in jail sooner or later.) Sad thing about that incident is that they immediatly knew who he was talking about! Oh, you mean Betty! They failed to recognize a diamond in the rough when they saw one!!.

Maureen is a tough act to follow, she has so much personality and is so socially adept but I think Rowan is going to be able to hold his own. I hope to see him more often. Ciao