A Pocket Full of Kryptonite

My I'mPossible Friend, April, wrote a blog post about Emotional Warriors and making sure you have your Justice League.  Well, her blog got me thinking about Superman.  We all know the story too well that Superman's enemies knew that his weakness was Kryptonite. Wikipedia refers to Kryptonite as a fictional material from the Superman mythos—the ore form of a radioactive element from Superman's home planet of Krypton. Within the mythos, it is the ultimate natural weakness of Superman and most other Kryptonians. Although I have my Justice League and we're ready to save the world from all of its injustices at a moments notice, the threat of Kryptonite is real.

For a moment this post is not about me and my Kryptonite.  You already know I have baggage and all other sorts of issues.  This post is about my nephew, Ryan.  He is a sweet boy with a lot of I'mPossiblities ahead of him.  However, during his visit here with me, I discovered he traveled with a pocket full of Kryptonite. I don't even know how he got on the plane!  So, last Friday night I decided he was not going to keep traveling this summer (or the rest of his life) with a pocket full of Krpytonite.  

As a parent, I have to be careful about not giving my children, nieces and nephews stuff they don't need or that's harmful to their souls.  While talking to my nephew, I remembered that he didn't know how to swim.  (I don't either, but Jay said he's going to give me swimming lessons and it's now on my bucket list.)  I asked Ryan if he wanted to take swimming lessons this summer while visiting.  He pondered for a moment and quietly said, "No." I asked why.  He said that he was afraid that he was going to drown.  I took a deep breath.  The conversation continued and I emptied his pockets little by little that night.  Over two hours worth of emptying pockets.  I was exhausted and he was rejuvenated.  

I took his Kryptonite away and gave him some of my I'mPossibilities.  It was a tiring exchange, but he can go on and continue his journey without a pocket full of a radioactive element set to destroy his spirit.  He's only nine!  Too young to be even be exposed to the dreadful material.

So, I threw away the Kryptonite.  We don't talk or think about it.  We can limit our exposure, but the threat remains. 

I remind my boys that Kryptonite can come in many forms-fear, family, friends or relationships.  I don't teach them that they are invincible.

They are I'mPossible!