Friday, February 6, 2009

Goodbye John Updike

My boys are 6 and 4--they are growing up too fast. On one hand, it's a joy to see them grow and learn and experience new things but on the other hand, the older they get, the closer they get to learning the hard stuff in life. The world can be cold and kids can be cruel. Big pup refuses to take chocolate pudding to school for his lunch now because somebody said he has a chocolate mustache. When he told me that I instantly started asking questions: "Who said that? Did it make you sad? What did you say?" Turns out, he's not really bothered by it, he just doesn't want to take it to school anymore. No big deal. At least for him. And I guess I'm overreacting but I can't help it, like any mother, I want to protect them as much as possible. Because, unfortunately, they can't stay innocent forever.


Check out Saying Goodbye to Very Young Children by John Updike, the Pulitzer Prize winning American author, who died last week at age 76.


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16 comments:

  1. That was really nice. Except for the boring aunt thing!

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  2. I love your poetry choices. And yes, the grow up too fast.

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  3. They do grow up so fast. And more than once, I have wanted to take out a snot nosed brat who said something mean to one of my kiddos!

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  4. It is interesting to see how kids deal with comments, how their lives are shaped by little things. As mine is getting closer to high school I am constantly reminded that I am his support, his anchor, even though I really want to continue to be his mighty defender - which he doesn't want and really doesn't require. It all makes me excited and sad at the same time.

    Love your Updike. He was an amazing writer.

    Happy Friday!

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  5. I didn't know he passed!! I am so sad!

    Love this post!!

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  6. It makes me so sad when I look at my children and realize that they are growing up so fast. I just want to freeze them at this age and keep them young and innocent forever!

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  7. I wish kids were not concerned with what other kids thought so early! B won't wear a football shirt because a 4th grader asked him if his mom dressed him?

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  8. Another great poetry post and love the picture of big pup on the swing and your right they do grow up way to fast!!

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  9. oh I know you just want to keep them young, the world can be cruel. Just this week and Will's class that I go to we got a taste of a mean teacher, say it isn't so!

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  10. Yeah, it's like one minute they are learning to walk, and the next they are getting ready to leave for college. ((sigh)).

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  11. Thanks for stopping by from SITS.

    Your post is very true.I cherish every moment that I get to see my children learn something new, but also realize that they are growing up and I won't have babies for much longer, which makes me sad. Such a double edged sword!

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  12. Why are Aunts always described as boring? Sigh.

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  13. Awww, you didn't overreact. You did just what a good mom should. Kids are cruel but we want them to stand on their own.

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  14. knew he diede, but didn't know much about him way back here in utaqr....since you are a book person, you would probably know him from that...read jodi picoult, dean koontz, lately

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  15. I wish I could say it gets easier as they get older....

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  16. I really enjoyed this poem. Thanks for posting it.

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Thanks for commenting!