Sometimes You Have to Restrain Yourself

Last Friday afternoon I watched my son run in the Chieftan Challenge. It's a one mile race which is held at the end of every school year – in which the kids from the two middle schools in Okemos compete against each other. Joshua has been looking forward to this race all year, and I was excited to watch him run. He'd been hyping himself up about it for weeks, talking about how much he hoped to break the 6-minute mark. And I had offered up several prayers for him through the day, asking God to help Joshua do his best.

I arrived at the race before the kids started gathering and just stood there waiting. Before too long I saw Elizabeth with several of her friends. She came right over to me and gave me a big hug. I said hello to her friends, then was quickly left to watch a purse, coat, and camera which belonged to one of her friends, so they could run off and talk to other girls. I really didn't mind. I remember being a teenage girl. Besides, I was still contemplating Elizabeth's warm greeting – in front of her friends. How sweet was that?

Then I saw the boys coming and I turned to look for Joshua. After just a minute I saw him, and my heart skipped a beat. Oh, if you could have seen the smile on his face. He was so excited! I saw him high-fiving his friends and even body-slamming with one of them. Everything in me wanted to walk right over there and hug high-five him, too. I wanted to whisper to Joshua that I was praying for him, wanted to wish him well and let him know dear ol' mom was there to cheer for him.
However, when I looked at my almost-teenage son, rousing it up with his almost-teenage friends, I knew he would be humiliated if I did any of that in front of his friends.
(Oh, sure, at bed time he wants me to rub his legs and back. But I better not talk to him in front of his friends!)
So I stayed where I was, keeping my eyes glued on him, hoping that for an instant he might look my way and be able to hear me thinking, Hey, Joshua. I've been praying for you. I know you'll do great. I'm here to cheer you on! But I couldn't get over how hard it was to control the urge I had inside to go over and give my boy a hug.
(At this point, I think it was helpful to have an extra coat, purse, and camera to hold. Gave my arms something to do. *grin*)

And for just a moment I contemplated the incredible difference between an adolescent boy and girl.

But soon it was race time and I got myself into position at the finish line so I could capture this picture, just after he crossed the finish line.


Joshua's finish time was 5:59.
He broke six minutes and he was soooooo happy.
And this momma was proud!