A Gift

Yesterday we watched Ava's first soccer game of the season It was a beautiful Florida fall day and I had a chance to reminisce as I stood and watched her play. Wednesday we watched Aden's final middle school volleyball match "Where has the time gone? " we exclaimed Because Ali now coaches on the same court where Aden played his last game. Wasn't Bryan playing soccer just yesterday? it's so easy to remember… but memory has no sense of time…Bryan turns 40 in December. How many games of soccer did we watch Ryan play? How many runs and jumps and kicks… It doesn't seem that long ago…but Ryan's now 36. I remember picking Damien up with one hand…was he 2 or was he 3? He was such a tiny person then…When did he get taller than me? I remember Taylor staying overnight…I remember his birthday when he was 5 Now he drives himself to the University of Florida…When did he learn to drive? I remember how young we all looked at our wedding… I remember our parents shedding a few tears.. How could that have happened a moment ago… when we've been married 30 years? 30 years where we've enjoyed every moment…before they've flowed into the past 30 years that, at times, seemed so slow…but, in retrospect, flew by so fast. But we've been given a gift, Deborah and I…it's something we both know. A gift we never take for granted…watching our children and grandchildren grow… We cannot know what the future holds…no doubt there will be happiness..and there will be tears But we can't wait to see where this gift will take us…as we anticipate the next 30 years. When I stop to think about this gift we've been given… it is ours but it's not ours alone… For I imagine every parent realizes this same gift… at a soccer game of their own.