Keeping a New Year's Resolution

Andrew couldn't be more proud. He hiked up Shakespeare's Rock alone with his Daddy for his first time.

All three boys have thought about this trip for several years, with good reason. Each summer we vacation at Lake Tahoe and the sheer granite surface of Shakespeare's Rock looms above us visible from the driveway, the beach, and most of the grounds. Every year I lead one group or another of adults and occasionally older children on the hike.

So naturally every year the boys ask when they will be old enough to go. But this year Andrew surprised and charmed me when he made it his New Year's Resolution at school. We didn't even know the school had discussed resolutions. But the boys came home talking about theirs and that's when I learned that Andrew's was "to climb Shakespeare's Rock with my Daddy." (Justin's was to get better at chess and Kevin's was to do more math and play more basketball.)

I knew it would be a challenge to get Kevin and Justin to accept that Andrew would get to hike alone with me, but I also believed that it was important to give Andrew that chance. (Why was he even thinking about Shakespeare's Rock in January?) We had eight months to get them comfortable with the idea, but all along I knew that on the day of the hike they might get emotional about being left behind. But they had accepted it: they drove Andrew and me to the trailhead and wished Andrew good luck.

The hike itself was a great time. We lost the trail at least three times, but Andrew remained calm. He hiked happily and without complaint. He had great balance on the slippery trails, used his hands when he should, clambered over rocks without fear, showed surprising instincts for navigating in the woods, and pointed out things I had never noticed. And of course he talked the whole way.

When we reached the summit (I'm guessing it is only about a 400 foot elevation gain) he scrambled over the rocks, found a shady picnic spot with a terrific view and joyfully ate his PB&J (they never taste so good as they do after a long hike, do they?), and posed proudly to have his picture taken. His brothers called from the house and then walked out on the pier to try to spot us waving our hats (impossible to do, though we could make out three specks moving along the dock).

On the hike down Andrew discovered the arched opening in the vertical rock face where serious climbers with full gear practice their climbing. He wanted to get up close and inspect it and I foolishly agreed. It's about a forty yard climb over loose rocks with precarious footholds. About two thirds of the way up I realized there was no way we could descend the way we had climbed. Andrew knew I was concerned and kept apologizing, but I explained that it was my bad judgment and we'd find a safer way back down which we fortunately did.

The round trip took us about three hours and when we emerged from the woods we were filthy and happy. Andrew found a way to tell his brothers about the trip without boasting and most of the time they were excited for him and looking forward to a turn.

Three days later if you ask Andrew abut his favorite part of his vacation he'll still answer "climbing Shakespeare's Rock." His second favorite is having built a tower of cards five levels high without help.

Two nights ago at bedtime, cuddling with Justin, he smiled sleepily and asked in a whisper whether I would play chess with him the next day. I eagerly agreed, while privately thinking: another boy keeping his resolution.