I well-up every time I sit down to read Gabriel this book.  Seriously!  It's actually kind of disturbing & I can't control it.  No matter how hard I try, I CANNOT get through Puff the Magic Dragon with dry eyes.

Now I'm the kind of person that finds *meaning* in almost everything.  A bird appears out of nowhere and  it's a message of some kind. I look at the clock at precisely 6:12 & I know my grandfather is near. 
  
So I decided to ponder those uncontrollable tears & here's what I finally came up with - The book - which is really just the song in print - is trying to tell me to enjoy my son & his childhood while I still can. Because one day soon, sooner than I might like, sealing wax and silly strings are going to make way for other stuff.

"A Dragon lives forever, not so little girls and boys
painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys..."
 

Crying yet?

With that I've come to realize that "Balance" is my life lesson this time around.  Being able to balance my wants and needs with those of my family...especially the precious, oh so impressionable little cargo.  After all :

Balance = Bliss

I do find that when I am in balance, everything else in my life seems to harmoniously fall into place.   Just like magic!  Yet, it is something I struggle with everyday.  Why? 

"One grey night it happened, jackie paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave