“Mom, I need to tell you something…” This statement can often lead to admission of misdeeds: things broken, last of some favourite treat consumed, confession of petty revenge… those kind of things.  When my son said this leading statement the other night, that wasn’t where he was going.  …”I wanted to tell you that I spiritually identify as a paper plate.” Okay. Now, my children are inclined to say random abstract things.  Silly, thought provoking, head scratching, weirdness.  My husband frequently looks at me in these moments and says , “I blame you for this”, something I am okay with.

In this instance, I am thinking my son was being clever.  We frequently have conversations about identity, the importance of being yourself, the weirdness that necessitates the idea of coming out, and why does an individual’s sexuality have any effect on anybody but themselves (the answer to that one is, it doesn’t, but not everyone in the world is on the same page yet).

…”I am flat, white, and frequently have food on me.” All those things are true.  Maybe one day he will meet a solo cup or a party napkin, find his tribe and they can be a picnic.