Grown but not Forgotten

Three boys in one house can be daunting. Squabbles can break out easily, and there is always the chance that someone will need first aid from a bad brush with the pavement.
Overall though, boys are wonderful and full of delightful surprises.
In our neighborhood, our boys became friends with other children that lived near us. Our cul-de-sac was always full of young people playing whatever sport the current season rendered. Basketball, football and even a variant of wiffleball were always in progress. For many happy years, the children would play together in all kinds of weather and develop good social bonding skills, as well as other developmentally appropriate attribute for well adjusted young people.
When we moved to a house with no cul-de-sac, I lamented the lack of a convenient play area that we had had before. My lamentations were in vain. Our side yard, affectionately known in our family as The North Yard, provides even more lovely green space for any particular sport our boys can think of.
An added bonus is that their friends, the other young people from our previous neighborhood, still hang out and join in the yard sports. In fact, as long as I can remember, those children were as much a part of our community as our own. And, wonderfully, it stuck.
Recently, our middle son’s friend from school and the old neighborhood joined us for a quick bit of dinner before heading out to a holiday event.
The two of them, plus our oldest and ourselves listened as they told stories of school, sisters and brothers, favorite teachers, stupid ideas, good ideas and anything else that they were in the mood to share. It was a blast to listen and laugh.
Interestingly enough, the time for our guest to head out to his other engagement came and went, but the stories and laughs continued.
Worried that he’d be more than a little late we made sure that he was aware of the time. He informed us that he had been excused by his parents from attending, and that he was free to chat some more.
Of the many wonderful aspects of having teenage boys in the house, the best part is knowing that their friends feel just as much at home with us, as our own boys do. I hope that as they grow into young men, marry and raise children of their own, that they will still come by and visit and share their adventures. And I hope that their own boys and girls will develop long term friendships as well.
Hopefully, even after our boys are grown and parents themselves, our North Yard will have another generation of young people to play and grow.