So,  this happened today.  Alden decided it was time for a hair cut.  We cut off about a foot, now it's sort of chin length, and I shaved it into a mohawk for him.  He's donating that glorious braid to Locks of Love.  Some little kid is going to be over the rainbow about that gorgeous red hair.

Yeah.  It was fairly emotional, but once the braid went, things were smooth sailing.  Love that boy.  He's been home for Easter break, and pretty much hanging around me all the time, and I'm not at all sick of him.  This summer is going to be rough for both of us, more for me than him, but we'll both grow.  He is getting cooler, and more mature by the day.

We had a frank talk about sexuality, the other day, and it was so nonchalant, yet...I don't know, important?  That's not quite the word.  Anyway, we were talking about how people use homosexual slurs as name calling, like it's derogatory.  I explained my theory that most people who are homophobic, past the level of just normal ignorance, have never stared at themselves, and their whole lives, and said "do I like the same sex?  Could I?  Is it possible?  Just who am I really attracted to, anyway?"  Then to come up with a definitive answer, or not. Many people, adults and all, are afraid of that sort of naked evaluation, and never honestly ask that question, and then live in fear of it for their whole lives.  Fearing latent feelings in themselves, fearing what other people, society might think.

It's not coming through well, in text, but the conversation flowed easily.  He surprised me by saying, "I think I know what you mean.  I asked myself that, and honestly, I don't know.  I like girls and I like boys."  So, that.  I reassured him that 13 is plenty young, and even if he never decided, that's fine too.  When kids are young, sexuality is elastic, and I was inwardly proud of him for being cool with himself to just come right out and say it.  I was pretty happy we have that kind of dialogue, too.  I also let him know that I didn't really know either, but that I met his father and fell in love with him, and that is what it is.  If Irv's starstuff, his essence, his wonderfulness was in a woman, then that.  For me, love doesn't hang on gender.  Love is love.  I think Alden's kinda the same way, for now at least.