The following was written by our eighteen year old son. I asked him if I could share it, and he graciously said yes. It’s sweet and touching. I like that it contains ideas that seems to be fading from today’s culture. I love that his heart leans towards doing well and honoring and cherishing a lady. I praise God for the gentleman our son is becoming.
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A Boy A Man and A Gentleman
by Andrew Lareau
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A boy, adventurous and rash.
He knows only the dirt beneath his feet and the branches against his path.
He is young, undisciplined, and unseasoned.
His heart shivers harshly at the image of a girl.
His mind fills with emotions.
He knows not how to treat this foreign experience,
For he knows not what that girl will mean to him.
A man, learning the ways of humanity, has cut down his branches.
He has replaced his sneakers with boots.
He’s grown strong and proud.
But yet the flutter in his heart hasn’t gone away.
He still worries how to treat this girl who has matured to a woman.
He tries his all to make her happy, now that he knows what she means to him.
Yes he will fall. Yes he will fail. He still has much to learn.
But his feelings for this woman are far greater than anything he’s experienced.
A gentleman. Not a boy. Not merely a man.
He is seasoned, finally. He has seen each corner of the earth.
He has replaced his boots with high class shoes.
He is strong. He is brave. And he is smart.
He always thinks of others before treating himself.
He always knows how to act and react in any situation.
But there is one situation he still questions.
That flutter in his heart he had when he was a boy is just as strong now,
Because that girl who turned into a woman has turned into a lady.
And with all the experience and knowledge the gentleman has gained…
He will wake up every morning with the same unanswered question.
“How did I become so blessed, to call her mine?”
Ministering in the spirit of Titus 2:3-5 and encouraging women to contend for the faith.
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Oh my goodness, he is so mature!
Beautiful!
So sweet! He expresses this life transition so well, and he will be able to add further insights down the road. I have an 18 year old son too, so I can appreciate your son’s perceptiveness and ability to communicate so well at this maturing,
yet-tender age :-)
What a great young man you have raised……..
Very impressive!
Very nice
Thank you for the kind words, everyone. I have passed them on to Andrew. I do not doubt they were an encouragement.
That is simply beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. My son is the same age as yours. I applaud your son’s willingness to let us see into his heart, most young men that age are too afraid to let us see their vulnerabilities. Mine has given me tiny glimpses that I cherish as I know you cherish knowing the kind of man your son is becoming.
I don’t wonder where he got his writing abilities though :)
It’s precious to me that he’s as open as he is. A mom likes to know “what’s going on in there”. We are blessed that our sons reveal what they do. Thank you for the compliment. We both love to write. It comes very naturally for him.