My Earth

The good old Webster New World Dictionary, 1968 edition definition of earth is:

 Earth - soil; ground; protection as for a seed; practical; realistic.

This collection of nouns and verb tenses describe our eldest son.

I knew Wind and Fire because they attended the elementary school were I was teaching when I met Melvin. Earth had moved to middle school. When I came into his life, neither of us knew what to make of the other. He remained in his room and to himself and we respected one anothers space. Many months after becoming the common law wife, but permanent mother, I was overjoyed when Earth came to me for assistance with home work. I did my best to act as though this was just another occurrence in our lives, but Melvin and I were ecstatic. I felt like Sally Field, "He likes me, he really likes me!" At that period in our life I never received smothering love from him, but I knew the feeling was there. Earth adored Da, (the a pronunciation is short) I loved to hear them say, "heyda." it was all one word (hey dad). It was not what he said or did with his father, but they way he looked at him, he really loved Melvin.
When Earth was around 11 or 12 he developed a tumor on his brain. This was during the time Melvin was away. I truly believe that missing and worrying for his father made him ill, but the cure was Melvin walking into his hospital room and sharing what God had shared with him, "My son, be not afraid, I am always with you and God will make a way." Praise God he did and Earth made a full recovery.
My grandmother taught me how to pray and instilled in me the power of prayer, but earth taught me how to bow down on bended knee and talk to God and his son.
Sixteen, driver's license, first car, get the picture. Lord have mercy. We told ourselves he can help shuffle the boys to school and baseball practice and help with minor errands, yeah right. He did, but how can you keep a teenage male whose cute as a button at home or tell them to stay within a set radius when they have their first car. Melvin would go to sleep on those nights, but if he was a few minutes past his curfew, I panicked and fell to the floor, and just when I would be about to make my inaudible conversation with the Lord a wake up the house shout, Earth would pull into the driveway, then I would go to sleep.
Melvin and I didn't officially marry until Earth was in love a ready to propose marriage himself, but when I told him, I told Melvin I wanted to be the one to tell Earth, he wouldn't let me talk, he just kissed me all over my face and for the first time I was given the same passionate look of love I had observed him share with only his father and brothers, my joy to this day is unspeakable. This is also the time I found out there was a vote if Da should marry me years before and Earth said,"Ma, I voted for you."
My Earth is solid, practical and realistic, he is so abreast of the world and his surroundings, yet chooses to be far removed from the toil. Earth is a source of deep, abiding love, a trait he gleaned from his father. And on this day we celebrate the birth of our son Earth.

Tomorrow.