Johan + Friends

The other day, Johan got his first demerit/warning at school. His color was changed to yellow- green is good, yellow is not so good (or "slow," according to Johan), and red is big trouble. Anyway, in the course of all this, I spoke to Johan's teacher and she confirmed what I had already guessed from listening to Johan- he has a best friend. The kid's name is Gabriel. He and Johan love trains and baseball and shenanigans. They hug each other and laugh and make trouble. I was telling Addie about how I started giggling when the preschool teacher told me how they are naughty together, and she astutely pointed out how my wife and I probably had our colors changed, too. True enough.

I don't know Gabriel well, but Johan talks about him every day. It warms my heart to know that Johan has a best friend. Nothing like it in the world.

Prior to all of this, I had started to talking to the mom of another boy in Johan's class, and we had set up a play date for today. This morning we went over to Andrew's house and then on to the park. I didn't really know Andrew either, but the moment Johan saw him, both their faces lit up and they ran up to each other, babbling on about baseball and farm animals.

There is something amazing about watching Johan with these kids with whom he has forged relationships. It is sort of a quintessential moment of his independence- this are HIS friends- the people he has chosen to be in his life. It isn't about me or our family or people I have chosen. I mean, Johan doesn't really even choose his own clothes yet, but he certainly has chosen his friends.

It's exciting for me to imagine how long these friendships could last - how these little boys might (or might not, who knows) be part of each other's lives for a very long time.

At the very least, I think Johan is ready to have a friends birthday party this year. Johan, Gabriel, and Andrew. Ok, who wants to volunteer to help with that?