Yo Yo Mom

This past Easter I got Jackson a yo-yo in his Easter basket.  He's getting pretty big for the cheap toys you can use to fill up a preschoolers basket so sometimes it is challenging to find something.  My nephew had requested a yo-yo for his last birthday, and he and Jackson are only three weeks apart, so I figured maybe Jackson would like a yo-yo too.  I figured right.

He has become quite engrossed in learning new tricks and quickly grew out of the yo-yo I got him and used his own money to buy three more.  He would come home from school and find new websites or you tube videos that would teach him new tricks step by step.

The photographer in me has wanted to try and capture his yo-yo in motion and so we rigged up a black light and a  neon green yo-yo string to attempt a depiction of his yo-yo tricks in a photograph.

Being me of course I consider the yo-yo and its tricks as a metaphor for life.  You know, the ups and downs, blah blah blah.  And I remember times in my life when I felt like I was thrown into a trick.  No regular ups and downs, but ins and outs and back and forth, you get it.

This is the thing.  A yo-yo is really no fun if it just sits there, apart from the hand of a master.  It's meant to get out there and do tricks.  To take risks.  To go for it and unwind.  And wind back up and rest.  Who was ever impressed by a yo-yo sitting on a table?  But being used, it can be quite amazing to watch.

Cash also used some of his money to buy a yo-yo.  He is still mostly mastering the up and down of it all.

As a mom over the years, I have mastered quite a few tricks.  Diaper tricks, dinner tricks, discipline tricks, I did not intend for all my tricks to start with "d."  Apparently I have also mastered alliteration tricks.

I hope I can be brave like a yo-yo.  Step out and trust the One holding on to the end of my string.

Sometimes Jackson hits himself in his head or elbow with his yo-yo.  This doesn't really apply to the metaphor I don't think, but I wanted to add that.  Sorry Jackson, but I'm telling the truth here.