Twitter – Steel, originally uploaded by Dramatic.
Yesterday, I had the most wonderful day. I spent it with Minimee. Several weeks ago, he asked if we could walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and yesterday, being so beautiful, just happened to be the day.
We started the day with breakfast at IHOP, then walked from Downtown Brooklyn through Borough Hall and Cadman Plaza Park to the bridges walkway. We talked the whole walk about various things, including poking fun at some people and school.
He cried when we started talking about his current progress. I explained while I am proud of him and how well he is doing, I am disappointed that he isn’t working to his full potential. He isn’t. I feel he is falling behind where he was. I am not holding him to anyone’s standard but his own. From the time he started school he had set a bar and consistently raised it. I want to know what happened to that boy, what has changed and what we can do to bring all the best of him back?
We talked about my plans. What I wanted to do in the near future, where I feel I am falling short and what I felt and knew are some of my challenges were.
While crossing the bridge, which was crowded, he took in some of the scenery and the history of and facts about the bridge which were posted about midway across. He pointed out some things he wanted me to take pictures of… Snap, snap… LOL.
Finally, on the other side we began walking, from One Centre Street, pass the Old Tweed Courthouse, through Chinatown, SoHo, the East Village, up to Union Square and decided to see a movie. We didn’t have one in mind, so we just went with Quarantine (survival horror), which we both really enjoyed.
When the movie was over we decided to have dinner. We walked back from Union Square to the West Village, after deciding we wanted Uno, which seems to have become our current favorite spot. Dinner was great as usual.
Throughout the day, one of the challenges we discussed is more presently poor credit, which seems to be preventing me from getting a decent apartment, so he can come back and live with me. I know he isn’t happy where he is. It’s hard being with someone, especially one you are supposed to look up to for support, who you don’t / can’t trust. He understood and said he could hold out as long as I needed him to.
You have no idea what that means to me. I really needed to hear that. I needed to know that he was OK. In that moment, it became clear that he has one of my best traits, one that I have long thought lost, my strength. Yesterday, my little boy, loaned me some of that strength and reminded me that he is strong and will not be broken. Today, I feel more connected to him.