How long?

Another Monday. What happened to my weekend? Who took it? Give it back, I say! Oy gevalt.

Today is Jonathan's birthday. He's 28 years old. It's nearly impossible for me to comprehend that I've known him for just over 21 years now, much less that he could be that old, even less that I could be this old. I moved to Maryland to be Jonathan's (and his brother Ben's) nanny just before his 7th birthday.

When I met him, he was the most intensely serious kid I'd ever known... not much of a sense of humor, let alone an appreciation for sarcasm. I'm proud to say that has changed (I can only hope it was my influence), as he is now one of the smartest of all smart asses out there. He's got great wit. And, intelligent? *heavy sigh* Let's just say he blew by me on that one along about his 12th year. In fact, I recall an evening when he was 12; we debated the existence of God. His rationale and intelligence and ability to expound on his thoughts knocked me out of my provincial shoes. Most adults couldn't have held up with that kind of discourse. Most kids would have gotten bored and quickly said, "Yeah, whatever..." As it was, we carried on the conversation for well over two hours. To this day, it's one of the best talks with anyone that I've ever had.

He's still an engaging conversationalist. We talk on the phone every few months (he lives in NYC) and conversation is never stilted. He's as open with his feelings as I am, and just as non-judgmental toward anyone elses. In short, he's a blast to talk to. He came out to visit back in '02. One night he and John hauled out the chess board amid debate over every given subject under the sun. I finally crapped out and went to bed around midnight. I woke at 4 a.m. and they were still out there in the dining room, huddled over the board and staring at the pieces like they were going to come to life and spout wisdom of their own.

Am I proud? Absolutely, and so honored and humbled to have been part of the man's formative years. I'm no substitute for the mother he lost, but I'll tell you this: I'd stand between him and any dragon, any day.

Whenever I hear the Indigo Girls sing Galileo, I think of Jonathan. I can't post an embed of the video here, so you'll just have to follow the link, if you wish to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CTuSDNRJYmE
Galileo's head was on the block
The crime was looking up the truth
And as the bombshells of my daily fears explode
I try to trace them to my youth

And then you had to bring up reincarnation
Over a couple of beers the other night
And now I'm serving time for mistakes made by another
In another lifetime

How long till my soul gets it right
Can any human being ever reach that kind of light
I call on the resting soul of Galileo
King of night vision
King of insight

I think about my fear of motion
Which I never could explain
Some other fool across the ocean years ago
Must have crashed his little airplane

How long till my soul gets it right
Can any human being ever reach that kind of light
I call on the resting soul of Galileo
King of night vision
King of insight

I'm not making a joke you know me I take everything so seriously
If we wait for the time till all souls get it right
Then at least I know there'll be no nuclear annihalation in my lifetime
I'm still not right

I offer thanks to those before me that's all I've got to say
Cause maybe you squandered big bucks in your lifetime
Now I have to pay
But then again it feels like some sort of inspiration
To let the next life off the hook
Or she'll say
Look what I had to overcome from my last life
I think I'll write a book

How long till my soul gets it right (till my soul gets it right)
Can any human being ever reach the highest light
Except for Galileo (resting soul)
Resting soul (of Galileo)
King of night vision
King of insight

How long?