I am the Keeper of Dreams - GO HAWKS

We all want to quit at times.

It is too hard to hang on. The battle is too long, too tough, too unbelievable - The stakes are too high. It is easier to quit, to walk away.
 
A week ago however I decided not to quit. I held on to the unbelievable. We all did, in our small TV room. Four minutes to play and I sat transfixed unable to quit. My loyal 9 year old companion however walked out, he quit his Team.

Four minutes later in a spectacular, magical turn of events, the Seahawks came out on top and put the Division Championship game into overtime.

My Loyal Companion did finally trudge back to us and we all lost our voices cheering our hearts out.

This past week we have watched countless videos and recaps of this magical moment. The best though was the Inside NFL highlights of the game. Russell Wilson never stopped believing in his team. He cheered them on to the very end, throwing the game winning touchdown to a teammate that
had been unable to catch the last four passes.

I watch my Loyal Companion's face as he watches these videos, soaking up the flavor of Belief.

My Loyal Companion again wanted to quit tonight. Long division is so hard for a fourth grader to understand. Having to show his work and get all the numbers in the right place was just too much for him. My Love and I took turns sitting with him during dinner preparations. My Love sat with him until long after the dishes had been cleared and his not so little sister was in bed and finally, it clicked. The biggest smile crossed his face and he ran up to me and said, "Mom, I finally get it. I understand long division!"

And that is when I finally understood. We are all quiters. We all want to give up. This is hard stuff. Having a proponent by our side though, pushing us to the next level, can make all the difference.

As parents, we have to be our children's advocate. Just as Russell Wilson cheered his team on to the win, we have to stand by our children - daring them to push through. We have to be the believers. We have to be willing to throw that 5th pass. We have to keep their dreams alive.

Math has always come easy for my Loyal Companion. From an early age he was able to commute huge math equations in his head. When he was little he was fascinated with numbers. Now though in fourth grade it has grown a bit tougher. Strategies have to be written down, work has to be shown. He is learning several different ways to reach the same answer. He has grown frustrated.

As a parent it is my job to carry his dream for him when he wants to quit. I shoulder his math dream while he sits and contemplates whether it is worth the effort. I believe in his ability. I know (without a doubt) he will win this battle. I believe in him.

The Seahawks taking the Division Championship, meant more than not giving up in the face of adversity. It showed me how great the rewards can be when you truly believe in your Team - taking on the weight of the dream, carrying it for others when it grows too heavy.

As parents, we have to be the Russell Wilsons for our children. We have to be the Keepers of Dreams. We cannot quit on our children. We must believe. When we do this, we all win.