The Children

People say that the joys of parenthood are like nothing else on earth. That the unconditional love you feel is overwhelming. I have to say that I agree. Of course, I have no children. But, I do have a baby of sorts. We actually have two. They are our MP3 players, one Apple iPod named Otis, Odie for short. And, one Dell Deejay that goes simply by DJ. Odie is a momma's boy, for sure, while DJ is definitely more like his old man. And, while I love DJ, I can't help but admit that I play favorites with Odie.

Now, I know what you are thinking. It is terrible and wrong to compare a piece of electronics with a child. And, you know what? You're right. But, my Odie is special to me. I treat him with unconditional love and respect. I feed him, clothe him and keep him safe and warm. (Because if you leave him in the cold, the battery drains.) I have, like all parents, fallen victim to buying my baby the latest accessories and trinkets all the other kids have. I can't say no when Odie asks me for more songs to fill up his hungry 40G belly. He smiles at me with that big, bright screen and I just can't say no. He never lets me down, and he always knows just what Mommy wants to hear. He plays me, but I have to say, I play him too.

While there is a little sibling rivalry between our two boys, they are both loved and adored. They are never far from our thoughts, or sights, and we brag on them constantly. I look forward to every minute we spend together, and I can't wait to watch my little Odie grow and grow (at least until the memory is filled). So, forgive me my anthropomorphism of an iPod. I love Odie. And, he loves me too. I can't remember life before him, and I wouldn't trade one minute of my time with him. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.