Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to Ben, he gave nose picking.

I missed an opportunity last month that I didn't know I was missing.  It all centers around Ben's tongue.

It's kind of two things.  You see, for about a year, Ben had a large bump on the bottom of his tongue.  We first noticed it in January of 2010.  I finally screwed up the courage to pop it thanks to the encouragement of a good friend who is in the know about bumps on tongues.  I popped it with a pin. (As a side note, it was very, very satisfying to feel that tiny little give when the pin punctured the bump.  As someone who loves picking things, I enjoyed it more than I should have.)  The bump went away, but it came back, more stubborn than ever.  Two attempts were made to pop it in September, but there wasn't any satisfying pop.  It sat stubbornly on the bottom of his tongue.

Now, the second thing is a talent Ben had with his tongue.  It's kind of gross, but he could stick the end of his tongue in his nose.  (Kids do the grossest things!)  I caught him on numerous occasions enjoying the contents of his nose.  Ick.  I kind of got used to it after a while.

Now, fast forward to last month.  At the recommendation of our doctor, we had to have the bump removed from his tongue.  With the bump being on the bottom of his tongue, I never thought that it would change the shape and length of his tongue if it were to be removed.  But alas, it did.  His tongue, which used to be quite pointy and (obviously) dexterous is now a little more flat on the end. And thus, it is no longer an able instrument for nose picking.

I'm a little sad because I never got a picture of him doing it.  Yes, it was gross.  Yes, I wondered if the bump was caused by the very action he so enjoyed (I'm sure it wasn't, but it didn't take my mind long to get there.)  But, despicable as it was, it was my five-year-old Ben.  He will never be that little 5 year old, enjoying his nose with his tongue again.   It's just one more way that he's had to grow up. Sad, sad, sad.

Would you be sad?  Did your kids do disgusting things that you eventually looked back on with fondness? And, since we've been taught we have to use our talents so we don't lose them, will Ben be compensated with another?  He didn't give it up willingly, after all.