Methods of time travel

[fbhjr]

For the last couple of years there has been a family with two young boys that come to all of our shows down south. Their mother takes a lot of photos for us and has been very willing to share them with us. Her two sons always take sword lessons with us, and even have their own gallery on our Phoenix Swords web site
I first encountered them at one of the Mobile faires when I was wearing the Boughton family colors. Michael thought it looked like a smiley face and made his mother tell me that for him.
As the two boys were running around our fight area with their plastic swords Saturday, she came over to me.
“You’ve really made a big difference in my son’s life,” she said.
“How?” I asked. “They come to our shows twice a year, but that’s it.”
“Ethan (the older one) said he wants to grow up and be like you,” she said. “But, he’s had a lot of trouble in school. He’s got some learning disabilities and ADD. We told him if he wants to grow up to be like you, he’s got to pay more attention in school and study more.
“Since we’ve told him that, he’s gotten much better in school.”
I looked down at the two boys literally running circles around me with their swords.
It was very, very much like looking back in time to when I was that age playing with my younger brother.
Eight years old. Third grade. Special needs classes. The future being told in terms of what you lacked instead of what you could accomplish.
It was a very critical time in my life. The changes I made that year changed the entire course of my life in almost every possible way.
It was the year I discovered that being in the “special needs” class was the school’s way of calling me stupid. I didn’t like that. I decided I had to prove them wrong. It took a lot of work and many years to change their minds and some I never changed. (And, to be honest, some I think I changed too much…) But, at the base of it was that I wanted to be like my heroes. And, they weren’t stupid. So, if I wanted to be like them, I couldn’t let other people think I was stupid.
“You know, I had similar problems in school,” I said to his mother. “A list of learning disabilities that filled a sheet of paper, including dyslexia and what is now called ADD.
“But, despite being told by my school I wasn’t smart enough to be a garbage man, I’m the senior engineer at my company, I’ve given presentations at universities, I’ve been sent as far as China for my company in my work to design new products, and I do this sword thing on weekends.
“Never let the school call your son stupid.”
“He tests well in IQ tests,” she said. “It’s in class he has the trouble.”
“I tested well too,” I said. “But, I was bored stiff in class and had trouble seeing any reason to pay attention. It’s a problem I still have, and still have to fight. But, having a goal always helps.”
“Thank you,” she said. “It means a lot to them that you spend time with them.”
“It’s not a problem,” I said. “They’re great kids.”

I do not do this to “help the world” or anything like that.
I want our shows to be fun. I do hope that if we have good historical material, one or two people might ask and learn something. But, that’s a level I don’t expect the majority of audience to care about or really even notice.
It is nice to think we may help and encourage some folks. Especially ones that remind me so much of myself.

Comments

[malterre.livejournal.com]

Did you see these? Love them :)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=48582&id=507217755&ref=nf

[kismets-kiss.livejournal.com]

It is always such a pleasure to know we touch people and make a difference. It is even more special when it's a child. You are a hero, and that is so very cool!
It was fantastic meeting you this weekend and I look forward to continuing to getting to know you and your group more!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

It is very nice to hear we make this sort of change for even one person.

And, I'm not saying it's just me that is the hero to these kids. It's the whole group. They come to see us all.
And, now that includes you as well. You're part of the show, part of what they come to see.
Thank you for being part of it.
Hopefully you will be able to join us again!

[julytooth.livejournal.com]

Yes, these two kids come for the whole troupe. But they want to take sword lessons from you. I think that is because your charisma, confidence and certainty points to you as THE pirate, even with all the other raging egos around you. In other words, you rock.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

While that is very kind of you to say, I maintain that it is out team that rocks. And, if I look good it is only because of the hard work of a whole lot of people, you included, to make it all come out that way.

To quote Isaac Newton:
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants"