The Beginning

To write a beginning is always rather daunting and even more so when it is your thirteen year old son that came up with the idea of his mom writing a blog.  At first, I laughed at his newly mannish voice in the backseat almost casually making this suggestion.  However, when he insisted that I take him seriously, I became deeply touched that my son would think that anything I had to say was of much value so without warning, my chest puffed out so much until it almost touched the dashboard. Really, I humoured him and what exactly would I write about. Something you know,  he stated simply and I said in jest "Perhaps I should write about raising a teenage son" thinking he would retreat in fear. But my son only briefly paused before asking me what I would call my blog and then, without even a whisper of a breath, I uttered "Raising Beethoven," and realized it was finally time to tell his story. The title had always been carefully tucked away since the very day that my then precious six-year old son defiantly uttered those very words when I asked him for the umpteenth time, why he was being so difficult. The clear vivid picture of this beautiful, brilliant little boy standing there defiantly explaining, but in almost an apologetic way, "Well mommy, it's not easy raising Beethoven." I know that your first thought will be of disbelief that both a six year old child would think of something like that to say to his mother in the very moment of a dispute and it did shake me for a second until I realized that he had just explained himself not only most eloquently but in the most perfect way for me to understand him. Yes, I have a brilliant son, beautiful, gifted as you will learn and it has lead me on a path that I could have never dreamed for myself. But then, it's not every day, a mom gets to raise Beethoven!