I am a stage Mom

Vicarious living is not beneath me. I somehow thought that being educated and watching all those parents hollering at sports and sitting in audiences doing the same dance moves, mouthing the words to songs sung or executing the notes of a song on a band instrument was something I was never ever going to do. I would allow my children to follow their passions without reliving my own glory or lack of said glory days. Since I am a Mom of only boys I thought I was somewhat insulated from this behavior. This was a great theory. My metal has been tested this year and I found I am not titanium but aluminum foil. My wonderful unique child Jack has once again wiped all my self-delusions away with one single swipe of his toe pick.  He first made me full puffed out chest proud by placing 3^rd in his first figure skating competition. This was something I could only dream of when I was a figure skater. Then last night he took the ice with confidence and grace well beyond his 10 years and skated a Christmas program he nailed down in less than a month. He was and is more than I ever could be on the ice and all I wanted to be. I left the figure skating world at 17 after years of efforts and lessons at a level he will soon surpass in less than one year.  Every time he takes the ice my heart soars and my childhood dreams of being Dorothy Hamill or Peggy Fleming are now in the fabric of his dreams of being Johnny Weir or Evan Lysacek. I guess at some level we all have the lives we live, the lives we wish we lived and the live we are grateful we are not living. Jack is giving me a taste of wishful living again.