Johnny T

Thanks to the miracle of a social network, I've discovered that a boy I might have married is now a great grandfather. This unsettling news gave me great pause and briefly sent me into a mild state of shock. The Ugly Stepsisters, Time and Reality, have once again spoken.

The boy I remember was tall and thin with dark red hair and a highly seductive smile. The man he has become is tall and thin with white hair and a highly seductive smile. Upon reflection, this state of change/no change pleases me - there are constants in the world after all and while we all grow into age and wisdom at our own pace, he has done so with ease and elegance. I am, I realize, more than just pleased, I am reassured.

Age can be a ripening process if we allow it, starting slowly and after a certain point, speeding up at a reckless and alarming pace. Whether we resist or give in gracefully makes little difference in the long run - doors open and close all along the way, we step through or turn away - sometimes we're right and sometimes we're wrong but we're always in motion, always headed toward some cloudy and mysterious point where we imagine the rainbow ends. We may arrive alone, in pairs, or even with great grandchildren in tow but we get there all the same and we all get the same chance to look back and see where we've come from, where we've stopped to rest, where we changed direction.
The young, redheaded and handsome boy I used to know has chosen and traveled well - I can see it in his eyes and familiar smile.

I suspect that no one calls him "Johnny" anymore, but when I open the velvet lined box I keep under my pillow, the one that holds the truly special memories, it's how I always remember him.