Coming full circle

Last night, my phone lit up, indicating I had an incoming FaceTime call from none other than The Boy. Before answering I had to ask myself if his edict that our communication was solely to be en espanol was still in place and since I couldn't remember, I went with that old standby, ingles.

In a couple of breathless, punctuation-free sentences, he announced the following: "SoIputsomeblondehighlightsinmyhairAnditlooksawesomeAndyoucantgetmadatmebecauseyoudiditooyourfreshmanyearofcollegeMomtoldme," and then he showed off his "Baywatch" worthy locks. To clarify, I mean if "Baywatch" ordered that their cast got their hair done in a dingy dorm bathroom, using cheap dye from Sally's Beauty Hut.

I had a split second to decide how I was going to react. I wrote about my own run-in with 'Sun In,' exacerbated by a tanning bed ("Paging melanoma on line 9!") during my freshman year of college here in the Den back in April 2013. Suffice to say, my late father was disappointed and more than a bit upset. I decided to not be upset. I mean it's not like he's dating America's Skankheart, Miley Cyrus. I would be IRATE were that the case. No, he's nearly nineteen and about to leave on a two year mission. In all likelihood, he will be getting haircuts with hedge trimmers, so a little last bit of his fun with his hair was OK.

So I didn't freak. I just told him the color had to be gone by August 31st, the Sunday he will speak in Church for his mission farewell. We agreed on that. I told him to go find a girl to swoon over his new blondeness. I have yet to hear how that went.

I couldn't help but laugh after we hung up. I laughed at my own eighteen year old self and how things come full circle. I see flashes of that kid from long ago in my son, The Boy. The good news is that he's far smarter than me. To quote Meatloaf, "It's all coming back to me now." It makes me laugh. Those were great times. But I wouldn't go back. Life is even better now. I'm content to take my wife by the hand and watch it all come full circle through our children.