I Love 20-somethings

I loved it when my kids were two years old. As much as I loved them in their infancy, I REALLY loved it when they started to speak and I found out what was in their heads.

Two, however, has nothing on the 20's!

This fact hit me in the face today when I was tutoring Laney. Laney has been a neighbor her entire life. I tutored her in Spanish during high school. Now at a Chicago area college, she again needs some assistance and so we planned to meet for an hour this morning. Well, two and a half hours later we were finished. What I realized after this marathon, however, was that I was smiling and invigorated. Laney is very gregarious and tells me all sorts of details about her life and, rather than getting irritated at Laney for not staying "on task", I just love it!

Today's "Laney revelation" reminded me of all the "20 somethings" in my life - mostly people I've known their entire lives - with whom I can now share a totally new and different type of relationship. Not only are the relationships different, I get to witness the marvelous transformation of these special people over their lifetimes so far.

Obviously, there's David and Kevin. Actually "David" has transformed to "Dave" to most folks, but I'm blown away by what the people I still sometimes think of as "Davey" and "Kevie" have become. Obviously I'm proud of their achievements, but I'm so blown away by WHO they are. I love the way they show their love for the women in their lives. I love their consideration of others, their work ethic, their care for the world, their respect for all sorts of other human beings, their fairness, and their curiosity...among other things. Best of all, for me, is that - removed from the daily nagging about homework, bed time, etc - we can actually talk about stuff they care about, adult to adult. And I love that they share "what's in their head" much more articulately than when they were two!

Then there are the women who love them. What more can a mother ask than for another woman to love her son! I just love sharing "teacher talk" with Lisa. I love discussing books with her. I love it when she talks about David's quirks. I love talking with Jennifer about cooking...mostly because she is so much more talented than I in that area! I love hearing about her animals and enjoy her quirky sense of humor about naming them. I love the way she shows that she likes being around us. Lisa and Jennifer are the only folks in today's blog that I haven't known all their lives, but I feel like I have. I'm not their moms, but neither am I "Mrs. Kosnik". I'm "Alice" to them and we are friends---and I love that.

Then there's Nancy and Tom, my niece and nephew. Separated by geography, I didn't see them with great regularity as they were growing up. Living thousands of miles away from each other, I wasn't always tuned in to the minutia of the growing up years. As adults, however, it's a true joy to become their friend - not just the aunt. None of us are great with phone calls, but blogging has helped us see into each other's souls...and it's exciting. Reading Tom's poetry is mind-boggling! How can the "kid" who once accidentally brought baby mice to school in his shoe now write poetry that can bring me to tears? I once also cried with a newly pregnant Nancy, sitting in her kitchen 3+ years ago joyfully anticipating what motherhood would bring her. Now she shares her daily experiences with two sons and regularly helps me relive the joys and frustrations of mothering two boys under three. I'm excited that next week Ken and I will be in Seattle with Tom and so appreciative of the adult relationship I can now have with both Tom and Nancy.

Margaret and Andy have been part of our "family" forever. They have morphed from the babies that I've babysat, to the toddlers who put on "plays" with David and Kevin, to the awkwardness of being my students "Cristina" and "Andrés" in 8th grade, to being tolerated as their parents' friends in high school, to now being their friends. What fun it is to talk with them about their hopes and dreams, and to hear the stories of their adventures. I'm now "Alice" with them, too and I love it!

Then there's Kerry, Randy , Eric and a legion of other "20 somethings". Again, more joy in knowing what wonderful contributions they are all making to the world and what joy that they are now "my friends".

Thank you to all of you for keeping me young (in spirt, anyway), for letting me be in your lives as a friend, and for making me so very proud of all of you!