Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Pooky

(copied from facebook entry, Feb. 25th 2009)

Today we celebrate another birthday. My baby, Seth, a virtual giant of a person turns 15. I say giant because he is over 6'3" as I write this and he hasn't even slowed to a coast as far as growing goes. He's gonna be a big guy. He will have to be in order for his heart to fit him. From the first time I laid eyes on this little gem I knew he would be something special. For the first 2 years of his life he barely spoke anything we could understand. He had a knack for music though. At about 12 months he found a pencil and a paint can and begin to tap out a rhythm. I asked him what he was playing on his "drum". He hummed a little...I sang for him, "Jesus...loves me....this..I..know..." He smiled and continued. He was tapping out his first little song. Words came along in due time, I can't remember his first phrase but I've joked many times that it was "I'm the drummer". It may have actually been. When he finally did talk it was all jumbled up and "nuh nuh" was at the start of every request...to him I think it sounded like what everyone else was saying. "Nuh nuh cookie" meant that's what he wanted. We all got it. I didn't worry about him because once any Brown child started talking all bets were off. It was the music that continued to speak for Seth. At seven, he composed a beautiful piano piece that I thought sounded like leaves falling. He started taking piano lessons and would endure the painful practices "if" his sweet young teacher would listen to what he learned to play by ear that week. When we bought the piano, the salesman sat down and played something wonderful to give us a sample. Seth asked him to play it again....the sharp musician turned and said, "I know you young man...if I play this again you will 'know it' won't you, without music, you'd just watch and play". Seth sheepishly smiled and said, "yeah". The salesman knew he had a musical wonder looking at him. He also knew he had made the sale.
As he has grown Seth's interests have broadened some. He likes all kinds of instruments, guitar, banjo, anything with keys or requires sticks he can probably play. He has a vast interest in old music and is constantly trying to stump me in music trivia...sometimes he does.
Something I have enjoyed watching as much as his talent is his developing love for others. I see him as a defender of the weak and defenseless. He has shown more compassion and patience for Jonathan than anyone in our family. He has shared his room with this disturbed little guy and acts as his personal body guard at times. That's what I mean when I say his heart is so big. He is a fine person. A work in progress...a song almost ready to sing. It doesn't hurt either that when I've had a hard day my 6"3" baby hugs me and in the silliest little boy voice says, "I love you, mommy". Ah, he's still a gem.
Happy Birthday Seth Bennett!

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