Ben

All he needed was one picture for the senior slideshow. So when Ben asked me to take some photos of him this afternoon, I was honored. We did funny poses, serious poses, try-not-to-squint poses. He didn't want to smile, but I wanted him to. He wanted to be relaxed, so I said, "Sit down."

He sat down in one corner of our old, splintered deck, where the weeping willow in the background reminds me of my heart right now. Full of green promises for what's next for my firstborn, yet bowed down from the tears of knowing his childhood is over. He's a man now.

Just this morning in church I noticed how he shook hands as he greeted another young man. Something triggered a memory for me. I remembered wondering (when he was about eight) if he would ever learn that that's what mature guys do--they shake hands upon greeting. They don't just say, "uh, hi" or punch each other in the gut. Maybe the next day, when they know each other real well, but not right away.

I told him I wanted his hands in the picture.