{"id":1104,"date":"2021-04-13T18:52:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-13T22:52:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deborahblackwell.com\/?p=1104"},"modified":"2021-07-17T15:00:17","modified_gmt":"2021-07-17T19:00:17","slug":"when-the-value-of-membership-is-priceless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deborahblackwell.com\/?p=1104","title":{"rendered":"When the Value of Membership is Priceless"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n

By Deborah Blackwell<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When my almost 24-year-old son texted me and asked if we could go to Ikea, I was thrilled. It\u2019s not that either of us needed anything, he just wanted to walk around, and I quote, \u201ctalk about his feelings.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t a mother in the world wouldn\u2019t jump on that request. Not because it\u2019s Ikea, although that\u2019s definitely a plus, but because her baby wanted to share some deep thoughts, which he hasn\u2019t done for years.<\/p>\n

The \u201cyears\u201d haven\u2019t been easy on the boy, especially this last one, when circumstances got the best of him, and he wanted to talk about it\u2014out loud\u2014with his mom and stepdad\u2014over cinnamon rolls at Ikea.<\/b><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve never had an Ikea cinnamon roll with a cup of mediocre Swedish coffee, I recommend it. And if you have an Ikea family membership card, the coffee is free. I kind-of raised my three boys at Ikea, it\u2019s a kid-friendly environment, with membership card perks that doubled-down on the fun.<\/p>\n

We met at the entrance then headed to the showroom. Getting through Ikea on a Saturday is no small feat \u2013 dodging hundreds of zealous shoppers and maneuvering through the mega-maze-like layout requires determination, even skill. It can take years to master, but my family has it down after more practice than they ever desired.<\/p>\n

But on this particular Saturday, in spite of the crowds, we took our time strolling and talking as if we were in the park. And, like a dog without a leash, I got sidetracked, looking at this or that, wondering what I might need, it\u2019s inexpensive after all.<\/p>\n

But my unhurried son and husband lagged far behind, and every time I turned around they were head-to-head, deep in conversation, oblivious to where I was, or what was even going on around them. I couldn\u2019t interfere.<\/p>\n

This was what\u2026and who\u2026my son needed. His \u201cdad.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

Last fall my three boys\u2019 birth-father went to court to emancipate them.\u00a0There are no words to even say, except they felt it<\/i>. My boys once and for all lost the father they never really had \u2013 certainly not one they wanted \u2013 the man chose to put gambling first.<\/p>\n

But they have a step dad who loves them like a father can. And they know it.<\/p>\n

So I left the two to walk and talk through 415,575 square feet of Ikea retail bliss.<\/p>\n

I watched them from afar, trusting that life was unfolding for both of them, just as it needed to.<\/b><\/p>\n

When we eventually made it to the cafe where the unmistakable smell of Swedish meatballs permeated the air, we sat down with our coffee and my son looked at his step dad and said, \u201cWill you take membership of me?\u201d <\/i><\/p>\n

In his soft, special way, his stepdad answered, \u201cI already did.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not a reward in the world that beats that.<\/p>\n

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