you will always be a champion in my eyes

Well, son, four years have passed since you came home and said, “Mom I think I am going to go out for wrestling.”

My first thoughts were for your safety. After all, I had spent 13 years watching over you to see that you did not hurt yourself or anyone else. Then on the other hand in my thinking, yes, you would be a fine wrestler. You had been wrestling with everyone, including your sister, since you were old enough to talk.

Wrestle-offs began and you would come home moaning, limping bruised and battered. I had to try to hide my concern and I did not do a very good job of it.

A week before your first real match on “the team” you informed me that you would have to lose eight pounds, so “Please, Mom, do not feed me anything fattening.” I planned menus, shopped for special foods and really felt I was doing a good job for you. Until I would catch you unaware, you would smile a little guiltily and I could see traces of chocolate chips between your teeth. Mysteriously, goodies I thought I hidden well would disappear. I ranted and raved, you sulked and craved. But, as if by magic, the pounds were shed.

Your first match was the hardest for me and I’m sure for you too. To me, your opponent looked enormous, rippling muscles and at least 25 years old. How could I ever allow you to get mixed up in such a thing? At each match, when you would face your opponent, I would take a deep breath, say a prayer and then lose all control, scream my head off, beating on whoever happened to be unfortunate enough to sit next to me.

Most often you haven won, but you have had your share of losses, too. No matter how your match ended, I felt like I wanted to stand up and shout so everyone could hear me, “That’s my boy!”

Well, four years have passed and here you are at the end of your high school wrestling career. We have had our ups and downs with each other. My fretting and worrying over your general health and injuries. Maybe I was over concerned at times, but I have not known how else to be and I made a lousy actress. Somehow, we have both made it through and we are still friends.

I have watched you grow into a fine young man, strong in spirit, responsible, dedicated – I could go and on. Much of this can be attributed to your coach and wrestling, although I would like to take a little credit, too. I will never be sorry you decided to become a wrestler. It has helped to make you into the fine young man you are.

Now you will be setting out to make a place for yourself in the world. I am sure with all you have learned these past 18 years and especially the last four; you will reach your goals.

You will always be a champion in my eyes.

I am very proud of you and I love you.

Your mom.