Words from the wise…

We got home late this evening.

But for a good reason — when I went to pick up Avi at school, he was in the gym.  There was a double-header (middle school) basketball game going on.  Our school’s team is part of a league of other small private schools in the area. Some of them are church-sponsored; some of them are not. We’re the only Jewish school in the league. Now before anyone makes any jokes aout the prowess of Jewish kids playing basketball, I’ll have you know that Av’s school has won four of its last four games — including last week’s girls’ game which was a nailbiter with a final score of 17-16. (Yes. Basketball.)

He asked if we could stay and watch the last half of the final game.  I was totally okay with it. Part of the reason is that the after-school program’s teacher happens to be a guy who has played basketball professionally in Europe. He has a great rapport with the kids and, although he doesn’t coach the team per se, he works with some of the kids on their off-time. Great guy. Takes the game a bit too seriously at times — which can be fun to watch.

But although Av’s attention wavers away from the game and more with hanging out with his friends who are there because they have siblings on the team, I do see him connecting. And cheering on our team. And sometimes getting confused with the scoreboard and the rules of the game. (“Our team has done 24 laps and the other team only did 19 laps!“) He sees the teamwork. He sees kids from his own school passing the ball to each other and (sometimes) connecting with the basket. He watches the cheers as they do. And it helps him think about this as a possibility when he gets older.

As I was tucking him in to bed, he mentioned, once again, that he had a great time with me watching the game. I asked him if, perhaps, he wanted to play basketball on a team at school when he was a little older.

“You mean after I finish kindergarten? And first grade? And second grade? And third grade?”

I cut him off and asked again — would he be interested in this in middle school?

“After I finish kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade…”

He decided to reach even further at this point.

“… and after I finish middle school and high school and college…”

I didn’t know where he was going with this.

“… and after I finish with driving lessons…”

?!

“… and I’m all done with school — I want to become… a Hebrew teacher!”

You know what? I think I’d be okay with that. He didn’t quite answer the question at hand, but it was okay.

I’ll bet you anything that LeBron James’s parents never had a kid with dreams of becoming a Hebrew teacher…