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Melissa, one of Robyn's best friends from high school married Nick, a guy she met while studying music education at NKU, this past summer. We've hung out a few times over the last couple years. Nick is a high-quality guy. He's trying to bring me into the 21st century, evidenced by the fact that he made me play XBox the last time Robyn and I were over their condo. (I'm blown away by the number of buttons on those controllers... I grew up on the Atari joystick...) Anyway, Nick is band director--not a Nazi band leader... it is obvious that he takes great interest into his students' lives and isn't obsessed with going to state--at Beechwood, and today we went south of the border to the Boone County High School Rebel Marching Band Invitational or something like that. His band was great. Good sound, good visuals, very artsy. I was impressed.

Seems like everything these days is making me reminisce of growing up. Everything is a memory. So this morning, I was thinking of the marching band days. The weather was so similar to many of Taylor's competitions. The crazy band moms ringing their cowbells and leading very poorly executed "gimme a T... T, gimme an A, A..." etc chants of the school's name. I was thinking back about how much time I spent doing band stuff in high school, how I was certain that I was doing the right thing at the time, and how I now look back and wish I would have spent more energy on more important things. It's so easy to be involved with a group of people in an activity that seems so important and think that there's nothing else in the world that would take priority. And then, years pass, and regrets start to pour in. How many hours did I spend just so our band could get a superior rating and go to state? How did that benefit my life then? How does it benefit my life now? I now wish I would've spent more time building quality friendships. Although I shouldn't compain too much, as I did get to see my now-wife the guard girl in spandex... (just kidding dear, if you're reading... that one was for you)

The main question I left the band competition today with is "how much should I protect my son if I see him going in a direction that isn't necessarily wrong, but I feel could be potentially emotionally hurtful?" Some question... One of the bands had a male color guard member. All the girls wore pink spandex. The guy wore a black outfit with a pink sash. He did nothing different than the girls. He spun the flags, he did all the moves... he was essentially one of the girls.

What would I do if that was my son? Would I allow him to do that? Would I allow him to be a part of a situation in which he would be completely ridiculed all the time? I want to raise my son to make healthy decisions and follow healthy passions. Obviously if he wants to play football or baseball, I'm all for it. If he wants to do something "less masculine" (in the world's eye) like gymnastics, I'm all for it. If he wants to learn how to knit, I'm cool with it. But spinning flags with the girls while wearing a pink sash? I guess there's nothing wrong with a guy being in the guard... but it would sure seem a lot better if there were a group instead of just one with the girls. Do I say no you can't do this, you'll be ridiculed by your peers or do I let the choice be his as long as he's aware of the consequences?

As time passes, it's going to be harder and harder to publicly be a believer in Jesus Christ. Ridicule is already often a part of the consequences of being a Christian in this society. But that's ridicule that is worthy. My question is where should the line be drawn between a lifechoice that is worthy of ridicule versus a lifechoice that is simply going to cause emotional trauma down the road. Is it even my line to draw? Maybe I just want my child to be the man I want him to be. Wow. I've got issues... my wife is amazing for putting up with me...