Well, not yet

My son finished his second day of school today. When I asked him if he made any friends, he paused in thought, and said, "Well, not yet."

My heart broke at the honesty of it. When anyone asks me an equivalent question such as, "So meeting lots of people?" I give a half-true yes when what I really mean is that I talked to one guy who also likes John Carpenter's The Thing and if I see him from now on, perhaps in the hall, I'll say hi, but we aren't bosom buddies or anything.

When someone asks me how my dissertation is doing, I answer pretty good, when what I really mean is that it is kind of shoddy but presentable, I suppose. It certainly won't set the academic world on fire, but maybe the grader won't be bored while reading it.

I've been lying my entire life. When things are going badly or just not great, I always say that they are.

The fact that Eli didn't just give a half-hearted, 'Yeah I've made some friends,' but gave a truthful and hopeful (doesn't the phrase not yet, just, I don't know, make you want to cry?)

I worry more about how he will get along with other children at school than anything else. Not because intellectually I think that is the most important thing in his life, but because of my gut feelings.

I guess the only thing I can do is prepare a loving home for him to come home to.