American materialism will be at its finest later this week on what is has been rightfully dubbed “Black Friday.” People will get up at 4:00 in the morning on an otherwise peaceful post Thanksgiving weekend day to take advantage of the latest and greatest deals on some electronic gadgetry.  My boys will sleep in that morning, because they overcame the materialistic demons known as the “I Wants” years ago.  A little history might be in order…

When the boys were small, we would pull up in front of Walmart or even Toys R Us and go through a ritual in the parking lot.  The said ritual involved physically stomping out the unseen demons known as the “I Wants.”  Once we got in the store we looked at everything, but I never heard: “I want ____” from any of them. I can honestly say that the boys were never a problem in any store.

They are grown now. It is no longer necessary to stomp out the dreaded “I Wants.”  We shop together in perfect harmony.  If we are looking for clothes, they are not hesitant to tell me what would look creepy on their 50 year old father. But I must confess the demonic forces have taken on a new role in my life.

I discovered this morning at the store that I was buying things that each boy likes in anticipation of the holiday weekend. They don’t like the cheaper HEB potato chips, so I bought Lay’s chips. I thought about all of their favorites as I negotiated through the store with half of the residents in Hood County this morning. I suppose I should have stomped out those pesky “I Wants” before I went in the store…But I didn’t.  And I feel no shame.  Buying my boys what I think they might want is one of the perks of having older kids.  They turned out to be really good young men.  Perhaps someday they will need to take me through the stomping out ritual on Black Friday.  Life after all comes full circle.