By now my nephew, Noah has had a couple of good nights sleep at his home in Florida. He flew out from Minneapolis with his sisters, April and Lana early afternoon on Friday landing in Orlando late in the day. Although we all knew he’d made plans some time ago to give public school a try this fall, the day for his departure came too quickly. Goodbyes were long, heartfelt and tear-soaked as we all took turns hugging the boy who has known the circus life his whole life. Though homeschool has served Noah well through grade school and junior high, he took a cue from his sister, Lana and has set out for St. Augustine High. Though the school won’t open its doors to the students for a few weeks, Noah thought it best to get good and settled in with his mom and Lana before the first bell rings in his 9th grade year.
Noah rounds out the Dykes crew coming in last but not least at number 5 and the only boy. I can recall eagerly awaiting his arrival into the world 15 short years ago like it was 15 short minutes ago. I was good and pregnant with my first bear (who happened to be due on my sister, Robin’s birthday) and also very present at Noah’s long awaited birth. Being almost two weeks past his due date made for a well-cooked baby weighing in a quarter ounce shy of 10 pounds. The birth experience I witnessed exactly one month prior to the day Georgia was born was relatively smooth and all in all came off without a hitch within a few hours. It in no way resembled the 33 hours of labor and the 2 hours of pushing my baby into the arms of my midwife that I would experience in the very same delivery room.
His first month of life helped prepare me for the life of my little one that was to come. Cradling and helping care for this little guy is a time I treasured and is etched in my memorybank for life. My minds eye can see that swaddled baby fast asleep in my arms, pink chubby cheeks and newborn baby smell abounding as I rocked him in my grandmother’s well worn out wooden rocking chair. Early American style furniture was all
the rage in the ‘60’s but it wasn’t always the most conducive for a comfy sit. That old chair was no exception as I can not only see my little kid self rocking away in that squeaky rocker but I can still feel the hard wooden dowels with the fancy rounded designs dig into my back as I eased back and forth, my eyes set intently on the images on the console tv at my grandparents’ place. Fast forward some 25 odd years and though that rocker still squeaked and its dowels still dug into my back, my attention was intent on my first nephew instead of the flickering images on that old console tv.
Noah’s very early years were fun to watch as he and Georgia grew and played together...sharing toys, stroller room, nap times and cartoon times was a way of life for the babies’ first season on the circus. Being only one month apart meant they experienced
many ‘firsts’ within just weeks of each other. I can’t recall a time these two cousins didn’t play happily together even when Noah endured chronic ear aches depriving him (and
one or more parent) of sleep many a circus night, From lining up his vast collection of
Thomas the Train toy cars to finding just the right wall for he and Georgia to practice their
crayola circles and scribbles on, Noah was and still is a happy kid; precise in some of his
play and always willing to let others in on his fun.
Noah has an easy sort of countenance: always eager to listen, and careful to choose his words, Noah has always had a light hearted and welcoming spirit. From an early age his conversations have been famously peppered with perfectly executed funny lines from favorite ‘toons, movies and sit coms that are timely and sometimes even enhanced with physical comedy and crazy contorted facial expressions. His comedic timing and talents have come in handy when someone close needs a laugh, a little company or some encouragement. Always finding the good in people and looking for lights of hope in hard times, Noah’s heart is in the right place. That was never more evident to me as when he, at the wise old age of 8 bestowed some wise old advice to Georgia as he determined to see her through her unicycle practice from start to finish. His student developed a legitimate fear of falling off her unicycle and getting hurt. After hearing out her concern, he counseled Georgia to not let the fear of falling make her quit. It’s this kind of pure, heartfelt talk that
has over the years caused me to form a deep appreciation for his sense of empathy and concern for others. These things can’t be faked and is evident with his eagerness to help
others in day to day tasks expecting and wanting nothing in return.
From willingly teaching unicycle peddling and eagerly helping me in my dog act to offering kindness and comedy at the right time, I see a boy who has grown into a rare breed of teenager. It is evident to all of us on the circus, and I can only hope his future fellow high school freshmen peers won’t miss the obvious traits that has made him so well-loved, highly thought of and deeply missed.