sometimes i imagine our sixteen year old daughter as something like the buck who was crawling in his own skin and had to take it out on this innocent tree to make the uncomfortable feeling go away. steve is in the other room with her right now, playing good cop, trying to get her to open up even a little bit about what she wants for herself over the next few years so we can help her get there, or at least more successfully get out of her way. i tend to be too blunt and honest at the risk of bruised feelings. he tends to be too conciliatory and peacemaking at the risk of laissez-faire ineffectualness. together we have made a beautiful and successful adolescent on her way to some kind of spectacular adulthood to be determined. we are very happy with our role in her making. we just wish she would let us into the process of her becoming.

buck antler rub

rice creek regional trail, saint paul, minnesota