thank you and thoughts on testing

whether the cheers came here or in personal emails
I want to say thank you and cheers for us together

this morning Bryan is taking his ACT so we got up
early and drove to school on a crispy sunny day
just the thought of a standardized test
or any test that my sons take at school
makes me tense
with memories
I still have dreams of forgetting where my
high school locker is!
and my high school was small

anywho

Bryan's attitude was brighter than the day
so I asked him to share his approach in facing tests

(I started to write "he explained..." and then realized
after those two words that I was not going to be able
to recapture the wisdom / insight shared the way he would)

hmmmmm, what to do....

here's what happened to me in my thinking as I listened to him:

Bryan is using his own experience as power to face the next test
he is actually enjoying the process!
he sees it as a challenge to see what he knows
and also to see how the psychology of the test makers works
especially when answers seem close
to find the way to the truth of the matter

rather than being stressed about it
he is calm
he laughed because I am the one who is worked up
about his test!...
he was able to "chill" as he said
I wanted to meet him in his place

I laughed because he was the one helping me
on the road

so I am wanting to reflect on this morning experience
since there is much to learn
when we go places together in the car
I treasure those times

same with memories of Brandon and I doing the same
and once in a while we still have those times
when he drives me to the mall or whatever or vice versa
something goes back and forth
as we drive straight ahead...

calculus and chemistry and ACT's are not in my personal
realm at 56
there are other "tests" whether medical
or the most challenging of all:
when I get "tested" and stretched to see how far
and deep
and unconditional
solid
everlasting
unwavering
strong
soft
real
true
patient
and infinitely more adjectives
my heart is towards every single person
in my life
past present and fortunately to come

no grades on the tests in life like that
only the quality of daily life
as lived in daylight
and in
peaceful dreams...