[Seek] Eighteen

Austen, my middle child, is turning eighteen, which is ever-so-much different than Austen when they were turning seventeen.

A year ago, Austen was still going by their deadname. They had just come out as non-binary. They had just put on astounding performances as Ozora in a mainstage production and they were looking forward to L&S at Camp Calumet. 

This year, Austen is Austen. They didn't get past two rehearsals for Voyagers before mainstage was cancelled due to Covid-19. They got hired as a Day Camp Counselor at Camp Calumet for the entire Summer, only to have Day and Resident Camp cancelled due to Covid-19. They have to postpone birthday and graduation celebrations due to ... you get the picture. 

Austen finds the humor in the fact that they are a 9/11 baby - born nine months after the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001 - and turned eighteen during a global pandemic. They seem to be taking it all in stride, as we all strive to make the best out of bad situations.

Two-thirds of this past year was spent busy with Camp, homeschool co-op, Haunted, mini-production, church choir, @ the table, paint nights at church and Epoch Arts, dances, Artopia, Arts Response, Open Mic Nights, and more. The last third was spent mainly at home, with forays to church to sing hymns for recorded worship. Their dating anniversary with their girlfriend was spent wearing masks and playing Unstable Unicorns on a blanket in a state park. Their birthday celebration with Sophia, in a similar way.

Yet Austen didn't just sit at home and wallow in misery. They learned songs on their ukulele, connected with friends over the internet, worked on SFX makeup, made TikToks, participated in a virtual Epoch Paint Night, attended @ your table on Tuesday nights via Zoom, recorded music and skits for worship, played games with their siblings, and so much more. 

As Austen's mother, I take comfort in the fact that her siblings are on board with making Austen's birthday all Austen wants it to be: ice cream for breakfast, Deadpool movies, Jere's dip, chicken pucks and tater tots...and most likely a dip in our pastor's pool.

We'll celebrate eighteen again when we can get friends together to do something fun. But for now, I will seek to celebrate this creative, kind, comfort-loving human for the beautiful soul they are, every day. 

Even when they have to stress ⚠fake blood⚠ on many of their TikToks.