Celebrating a First

We celebrated my son's first year in football this week at a banquet thrown for his team. It's no secret I wasn't a fan of letting him start football. The chances of getting hurt are high. But, I agreed to try one year. I didn't expect him to grasp the game until the end of the season. He proved me wrong; he was unstoppable. And even though my protective mother's heart would rather he do something a bit less aggressive, I have to admit he enjoyed every moment of it. We've now moved into basketball season and I feel a bit more secure with this venue.

Each of these firsts remind me of past beginnings. It's difficult not to feel these childhood days are slipping by too quickly. I want to remember the smile on his face every time his teammates rallied around him, and the funny little jump he did after an amazing tackle. I don't want to be so caught up pining for the past of little fingers and slobbery hugs, that I forget to treasure the beauty of today. Tomorrow, I'll look back on this memory and pine for it. So instead of holding onto the past, I want to be present for it all.