Recently Arayla (10.5) and I went through her entire bedroom for the first time in years, clearing out clothes and de-cluttering toys and books that were no longer relevant for her rapidly transforming being. It was quite a task, and took over a week to complete. The final product was a truly different room~ clean, simple, mature, and current.

So it didn’t totally take me by surprise when Ezra (almost 7) announced to me several days ago: “Mom? You know my bedroom? It’s just not really feeling like ME these days.” Respectfully humored, I asked him: “Really? What do you think needs to change so it can feel more like YOU?”

Fully expecting him to come back with some pressing desire for new bedding, or a Star Wars poster, or something pertaining to skateboarding or martial arts, I was completely taken aback when he responded with utter certainty and serious clarity: “I think what I really need Mom? Is an ALTAR with some GODDESSES on it.”

Yes. You heard me. That is exactly what my fabulously masculine, intensely athletic, lego-starship-building, taekwondo practicing, 2-weeks-shy-of-7 year old son said: he needs “an altar with some goddesses on it.”

Without missing a beat, I said: “Really~ goddesses? What goddesses are you thinking of?” He shrugged, then said: “Oh, you know. Maybe Artemis? She’s pretty cool with her bow and arrows. Or Athena with her owl? Or maybe Aphrodite? Mmm, yes…” he smiled, with a far-away look in his eye, “I do like Aphrodite.”

I grinned at him, somehow miraculously containing my laughter.

I pressed further: “What about Gods? Would you like any Gods on this altar?” He thought for a moment, and then said: “Sure. Yes. Poseidon is really great~ you know, for protecting the oceans. Or maybe Ra? Or Apollo? The Sun Gods?” I asked him: “How did you learn about all these gods and goddesses?” He looked at me with a puzzled look, as though baffled I could be so dense, then responded: “Everybody knows about gods and goddesses, Mom.” Duh.

I hadn’t forgotten about this conversation, and as his 7th birthday is rapidly approaching, I’ve been flirting with the idea of actually creating such a God/Goddess altar for him as a gift. So this morning as we showered together, I said, nonchalantly: “So, um, Ezra? Of all the goddesses, who do you think is your favorite goddess?”

He was playing on the floor of the shower with some little playmobil knights. He said: “What do you mean? Like who is my FAVORITE goddess in the Whole World?” I nodded, relieved to sense we were going to narrow this down to a single goddess for the altar: “Yes~ who’s your favorite one?”

He was quiet for a moment, then looked up at me, beaming love, and said: “YOU ARE, Mom!” Then he looked down at his toys again, and, shaking his head, added jauntily: “Obviously!”

Rendered speechless by the immediacy of his devoted love, my tender Mama heart cracked open even wider, once again. Obviously.