Everything Old is New Again? Believe So.

This week marks a first for myself and my family. My eldest son will begin a new adventure (in learning, let's hope) at my Alma Mater, Eastern Kentucky University. Needless to say, I am proud of this 18 year old and hope that his future promises are all that he wishes them to be. I have never been a "tight reigned" parent, why you may ask? The reigns never even needed to be adjusted. This young man has been straight laced and mature beyond his years...even as a child. Those of you who knew him at a young age, know that this is true statement. He's shown more maturity in his young life than I have many times (even now as a mid-life)...swear it's true. I cannot take all the credit for this "old soul"...but I hope I have taught him some things that he can take with him on his new journey. I have no doubt that the head he has on his shoulders will make the right decisions (for the most part)...but if not, mama and daddy will be there to give him a safe place to fall. That's just what parents do. It's in the unwritten hanbook, in case you weren't aware.

This week, it was so funny to me as I was listening to the ipod while doing my lawn manicure. I was listening to my middle son's Benny Kyle's ipod, age 11 (Alex's ipod was stolen). Anyway, my middle son must have a bit of myself in him. Smart mouth, headstrong, stays on the phone, overly hygenine conscious, always on the go...or wanting to be and thinking he knows more than anybody (especially momma). He had put some songs he called "Cali-Swag" on the device. Oh my Lord...I never heard so much gansta rap, and all that those artists imply. He had been told countless times to erase the explicit songs with those offensive lyrics. Did he, nah. Have they been deleted as of today? I highly doubt it. See what I mean...he takes a bit after me. Defiant. Defiant. Defiant.

I continued mowing, skipping all those rap songs, I did not understand what they were saying (and I did not want to)... bitches, hos, and lots of bad bad curse words that my 11-year old apparently thinks is appropriate for him to listen to. That ipod now belongs to a 38 year old...not that 11 year old. To my surprise there were some that Alex had put on there who knows when. But they were some of the songs I had listened to when I first left home for college and all that that implied. N2Deep, Parliment, TLC, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, etc.
Then, as I was finishing up mowing my dead grass and trimming weeds...this song came on. Oh snap. I wonder if they still play this one in downtown Richmond? I hope they still do, even if it is 20 years later...but who's counting? If you were there (or on any college campus) all those years ago, perhaps you remember it too. Brings back lots of memories for me...I hope he makes memories he'll never forget during what will be some of the best days of his young life.