Free To Be You and Me
I’ve been thinking about a show that my first born son, Jason, was in many years ago. It was called Free To Be You and Me. There was a song in the show that I have always loved.
The song reminds me of the generation that I was raising my children in. The message was, “Boys and girls can achieve anything in life. There should be no stereotypes or intolerance. Our children should grow up and just BE!”
I loved the message and tried very hard to relate that to my children and the students that I taught.
For 2012 Mother’s Day, my wish is….Let’s work together to keep this important message going for future generations. Let’s try very hard to accept and respect each other’s differences and not put up walls between us.
Let’s encourage our children and grandchildren to be individuals. Let’s make sure they understand that it is ok to draw outside the lines, stand up for what they believe in and love who they want to love.
And then hopefully…The world will become a nicer place to BE.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Love,
Debi Drecksler
*This column was written in response to the passing of Amendment One in North Carolina
F.T.B.Y.& M. Have that in my car cassette player! Was introducing it to a coworker’s 7 yr old daughter. Still have it from introducing it to my grandsons over 20 yrs ago. Had the vinyl for my girls before that! One of my all-time favorites!
I loved it, too! The music is wonderful! Thanks for writing.
When my friend William was 5 years old, he wanted a dollar to hug and hold. “A doll” said William “is what I need, to wash and clean, and dress and feed. A doll to GIVE a bottle to, and put to BED when day is through. And anytime my doll gets ill, I’ll take good care of it!” said my friend Bill.
“A doll, a doll, William wants a doll. Don’t be a sissy,” said his best friend Ed. “Why should a boy want to play with a doll? Dolls are for girls,” said his cousin Fred.
“Don’t be a jerk,” said his older brother. “I know what to do,” said his Father to his Mother.
So his Father bought him a basketball, a badminton set, and that’s not all, a bag of marbles, a baseball glove, and all the things a boy would love. And Bill was good at every game. Enjoyed them all but all the same. When Billy’s Mother praised his skill, “Can I please have a doll now?” said my friend Bill.
“A doll, a doll, William wants a doll. A doll, a doll, William wants a doll.”
Then William’s Grandma arrived one day and wanted to know what he’d like to play. And Bill said, “Baseball’s my favorite game. I’d like to play, but all the same, I’d give my bat and ball and glove, to have a doll that I could love.”
“How very wise!” his Grandma said.
“But everyone says this instead..”
“A doll, a doll, William wants a doll. A doll, a doll, William wants a doll.”
So William’s Grandma, as I’ve been told, bought William a doll to hug and hold. But William’s Father began to frown, when Grandma smiled and calmed him down, explaining, “William wants a doll so when he has a baby some day, he’ll how to dress it, put diapers on double, and gently caress it to bring up a bubble. And care for his baby as every good father should learn to do!”
“William has a doll! William has a doll! Because someday he is going to be a father too!”
* * * * *25 YEARS LATER: William grew up to have a wider and better looking selection of females in his life than his childhood tormentors. He now lives in Vermont with his best-friend and husband, Ed, where he is a successful real estate agent, even during the down market. They are loving Fathers to two children, a daughter adopted from Costa Rica, and a son from Japan… who they bought a doll.* * * * *
And they visit Grandma a lot who makes them tuna fish casserole and chocolate chip crumb cake and buys a ridiculous amount of gifts for her grandchildren.
p.s. Loved your ending!