Back In Time

Tonight I sat on the front driveway, for the fourth consecutive night in a row, watching my children play outside on a gorgeously perfect Summer evening.  As I watched them, I almost felt like I was transported back in time.  Back to a time that I don't really know.  A time that I have seen only in movies and heard about only in stories.

On a tricycle, desperately trying to keep up with big brother, was Gage.  Jackson (the newly training wheel-free big guy) was riding around in the street with 2 or 3 other kids on bikes.  Kynlee, Brooklyn and Westin were in the yard playing tag and Ring-Around-The-Rosie with a little girl from down the street and two big girls who love to come over and play with the "babies."  As I took all of this in and my final gaze landed on the backs of Jackson and his two friends riding their bikes, completely carefree, down the street, I had this strange feeling that I was getting just the tiniest glimpse of what the scene might have looked like when my parents were growing up.

My parents always talked about being outside ALL the time in the Summer.  Riding their bikes everywhere and playing with all the neighborhood kids.  As I looked around, this was the scene I was witnessing.  It brought me peace and joy to watch them all bask in the glow of a pleasantly receding day, while laughing with other kids.  All so innocent and all without a care in the world. 

This one moment brought me complete peace in my life.  Everything was right in the world for just this one moment in time.  It's a feeling I get every now and then when watching my children be children.  It's a feeling I am hoping to catch more of.  The lesson of this moment . . . don't take it for granted; every moment counts; tomorrow, this moment will be over, never to be recaptured; and most importantly, this moment made me appreciate my kids and reminded me why I love them so much.  We think we are raising our kids, but really I think they are raising us.  It is our kids that remind what is really important in life, they teach us to slow down and cherish the small things, they help us find the joy in life.  It turns out the joy in life is in the tiniest of things, not in the big things.  I am a firm believer that if you are looking for God in your life, look into the face of your child . . . you will find Him there.

My goal for this Summer is to spend at least one evening every weekend (if not more) doing nothing but enjoying life with family and friends.  So far we've accomplished it.  We kicked off our Summer with an evening water gun/water balloon fight shared with good friends.  Our next weekend found us having homemade ice cream in the backyard with yet more good friends, followed by another water balloon fight the next day and this past weekend was strawberry shortcake on the back porch while kids enjoyed some outdoor fun.  All of this has been topped off by evenings spent outdoors taking a "jog" with Jackson, watching the kids play, run, swim, ride and soaking up the sweetness that is childhood innocence.

I know I sound sappy, but lately, I am appreciating some of these things in life more and, well, the sappiness is a side effect.  Here's to more great Summer nights and continued appreciation of the finer things in life!