Striving to be Violence Free.

There is a sign on the side of the road on the way to Kyle. I think some class from the school or something put it up. I'm not sure. This is nothing against anyone that put the sign up but I smile when I pass it. It says proudly in school colors.
"Striving To Be Violence Free."
I thought it was funny the first time I saw it. When the two reporters from The Observer Magazine were here, because when they saw it, the photographer hit the brakes and took pictures of the sign. All kinds of pictures of the sign. My uncle was like "What is he taking pictures of?" I said "That sign."
He was like "Why?"
I was like "Read it, it's funny."
He read it and laughed. The sarcastic Jerry Seinfeld or Amiotte or Lone Elk humor came out in me, I was like "Is it that hard to be violence free? I mean are the people that put this sign up trying hard not to run back and kick it. For real, what's wrong with Striving For Excellence or Striving for Hope or why not Striving to Be Non Violent."

So that sign this week made me think of my kids and their heroes, plus my friend Ron was giving me ideas of what to write about last week over football.

I have two sons, ages 13 and 14.
They have the same birthday, so next week they will be 14 and 15, 6 days before Christmas.

I am and have always been the custodial parent, being there on holidays and birthdays. I was there for every ER room visit, stitches, flu's, colds, scraped knees, Christmas parties, Halloween costumes, ...every trial and tribulation in their life. even when I made their Halloween costumes that they didn't want to wear.

I was there for the good, the bad and the ugly. Even the ugly that caused me to leave their father.

I watched and still watch my boys grow into men, watch them in amazement that I carried their precious souls in my womb for 9 months. I made them with their father, but even more important I made them into the men they are today.

Today they are taller than me, look down their noses at me and try to smack talk. Yet, I know and they know they have so much respect for me, sometimes I feel the tears coming thinking of how good they are.

They could be out being hoods, but that are so goal oriented in the name of sports, they don't care to be little hoods. They must strive to be violence free, I guess.
So I am mildly disappointed when their sports heroes are jail bound. Well one, Jalen's hero, Michal Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison. I bought him posters and shirts of Vick and now he is going to prison. My son still has faith in the fact that he will come back to his glory in the NFL.

Barry Bonds pleaded Not Guilty for perjury the other day, so he isn't for sure jail bound, but still, he is my oldest boy's hero and has been since my son was age 6. I slightly tease them about the fact that their heroes are hoods. But I try not to rub it in.

It's hard to see my kids so loving sports that they behave themselves in the hopes of playing at the next level, only to have their heroes jail bound.

If only they didn't grow up and start liking teams different than mine and grew opinions. If only they were Yankee and Vikings fans they would not have had heroes on their way to jail.

I remember when my sons first made a Myspace page, I made one too so I can keep an eye on them. I went to my oldest boy's page and under the category My Heroes there was a picture of me. I even got a little tear in my eye. So in writing this column, I go to see if I am still under that category on his page, only to find out I have been replaced by Derrick Brooks.

Oh well, at least he's free.

So even though I think that the sign on the side of the road is funny, maybe we really all are Striving To Be Violence Free, even the rich and famous, and the sarcastic and poor.
BTW, even though they told me not to do it, Happy Birthday to Ty and Jalen Dixon, future heroes of the Pine Ridge Thorpe Football Team. You make mama proud. Look for the picture in the happy ads