Growing up

We used to have a neighbor who had 3 boys. These boys were in their young teens when they lived next door - ranging from 12 to 16 or so. Every year on Lag B'Omer, they ran the bonfire across from our building. They collected most of the wood, they set the wood up in bonfire style and they ran the lighting and maintenance of the bonfire. Other kids were only allowed to help to a certain extent, mainly with the schlepping of wood from its storage location to the bonfire. Every year they ran a very large and well organized bonfire.

This past year, that family moved away to a different apartment, further away. People assumed, myself included, that we would not really have a bonfire by us this year because there was not really anyone who would take charge. We all figured we would go up the street to the really big one the kids were making over there.

Sure enough, my nine year old son and a neighbors son decided they wanted to make the bonfire. They collected and schlepped the wood. They put it together and piled the wood up. They ran the whole thing, with no help from anyone else. It was not the biggest bonfire in town, not even close, but they did a great job. I decided not even to bother going up the street to the large fire, my son's bonfire was much nicer.

Kids grow up whether you want them to or not..