Old Men Versus Mama Bears

As some have the driven passion to share the message of vegetarianism or Scientology, I have become a zealous fan of the Lemon Blueberry Shortbread ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I have converted many, and some of my Royal Stage teachers are asking for it as payment now, since it's only available at the BR by my house for some reason. 

Excellent. One step closer to my own world superpower - we officially have a currency. 

So as I went to get a scoop for a singing class sub who had caught wind of the ice cream euphoria, an old man was sitting there eating a come of chocolate. Chocolate?  I silently judged him for his lack of adventure. 

Just then, a woman burst into the shop with three exuberant little boys. One of them jumped up and down and shouted in excitement. The mom reached out to calm him, but before she could, the old man shouted "HEY!" angrily at the poor kid. 

Uh oh. 

The mom whipped around and I thought certainly the fire in her eyes would melt the chocolate ice cream and HIS FACE. Mama bear senses criticism of her cub. Must. Destroy. 

I totally get this. I have a little boy. Boys are packed tightly with physical energy and emotional aggression wrapped up in a cute, mommy-lovin' package of dirty fingers and big smiles. There is seriously nothing like being the mom of a little boy. 

But don't. Mess. With. Them. 

"Hey YOURSELF!" She snapped at the old man. "THEY don't get Baskin Robbins every day! They are just excited and he's a CHILD." 

Point for old man - how did woman know the old man got ice cream every day? Seemed like an unfair assessment. 

"We'll I had three boys all at once, and they weren't noisy." 

Point for mom - because really, you had triplets back in the good old days? And even if you did - what do you mean YOU 

Had them ALL AT ONCE? Like babies blew out of your non existent uterus, making a perfectly synchronized entrance into the world? Why aren't you in a museum? Or medical journal? Or you know, dead from that? 

"Go eat your ice cream somewhere else!"  The mom screeched. "I mean it! Get out of here!!!" 

Point for old man as he suddenly became the Rosa Parks of waffle cones, defiantly sitting there, licking his ice cream and staring her down. 

I was impressed by how valiantly the old man defended his right to eat an uninspiring ice cream flavor in peace. I completely understood the mom's freak out over a stranger bellowing at her son. 

We all need something in life to fight for, to stand with. Maybe it's your child, maybe it's chocolate ice cream....whatever it is....make it something good. 

Right now I'm really defining what is worth fighting for in my own life. My kids, obviously. But beyond that? My work....my ministry....certain relationships....myself. Am I worth fighting for? My heart swings back and forth in opinion and honestly, I'm not sure which side will win. 

But I'm here now, and I hope God uses me for something as tough as an old man and as exciting as 31 flavors of ice cream before a child's eyes. 

Yeah. That would be amazing.