Flying Lessons

There is a half brick wall in the patio area at my old Condo in South Park. It separates the open patio space from the outside...it is about 4 feet high and about 15 feet long and eight inches wide. Beyond the wall is the reason I bought the condo in the first place. It's amazingly wooded...lots of trees...big ones...While I was working on the patio...I was installing a 15x18 Ipe deck on top of the patio cement, I started the project soon after I bought the condo in February 2003, and my son was helping me, he just turned 6 at the time. He was and still is very curious but cautious.

And walls are made to climb. He wanted help in climbing the wall. I was working, cutting boards etc, I was watching him like a hawk, but I was busy and focused on the decking. But I remember the guidance given to me by his mother, she said if he can't climb it on his own don't help him. So I didn't.

He struggled, trying to pull himself up a 4 foot wall. He was about 4 feet tall then too. But his muscle strength in his arms were not completely up to the challenge.

Then he threw one leg up onto the wall, pulling up while holding onto the wall with both hands. Struggling now he was laying flat face down on his belly on the top part of the wall that was 8 inches wide. He was excited, triumphant, and not knowing what to do next. His legs where dangling off the sides, but he managed to balance himself. "I did it" he said repeatedly. And I said what are you going to do next?

He pushed his hands/arms to raise his upper body, struggling/balancing all the while scooting his butt a few times, to situate it so his butt was somewhat flat, turning his hips, bringing his legs around and his butt fell into place and he sat on the wall, I remember he gave a very deep and satisfying sigh of relief. A very deep sigh.

He sat on the wall for a while. He watched while I worked. And I said to him after he had collected himself, caught his breath, what now?

He said I'm fine. Deep sigh and a smile. He was still Basking in his glory of climbing the wall. I praised him. Told him how proud I was of him doing it on his own and doing it safely too. And I told him how strong his muscles are for his age. And then we talked about the importance of balance. That was his issue at the time. Maintaining balance.

Out of fear of him falling I helped him from there on up...he used my arm to steady himself as he hoisted himself up, good thing, he was very wobbly...he pushed up, extending his legs, making his torso erect, he was standing. Wobbly weak knees and all. He found his balance and I let him go...he was finding his center, swaying a little, but none the less standing by himself. He stood on the wall for about 2 minutes.

The picture I keep over my work station is a picture of this very moment...I love him in this picture...it tells the story...he has a satisfied, proud but cautious look on his face. My son standing on his own 2 feet, 4 foot off the ground, with tall trees I love in the background.

I stood in front of him and I asked him to fall into my arms. I caught him easily as he fell. He said that was awesome. We continued working on the decking.