Welcome to the complicated world of my chaotic mind!

Check out our Book Site!

http://www.org-immaturity.com

Monday, March 22, 2010

The Cycle of Life

Life sure is strange. The cycles that we go through are amazing (if we’re blessed with a long enough life to experience them).

First our children believe that we know everything. They’ll ask us about anything and everything – and hopefully we’re not like Calvin’s (Calvin and Hobbes) dad and make up ludicrous answers. Hopefully we provide them with good information. Then as they get older, they decide we must know absolutely nothing. Then, sometimes, if we haven’t totally alienated them, they realize we may know some useful information. And then in their memories, when we’ve passed, they may come to realize we were actually pretty wise.

Another cycle I’m experiencing with my older children (with the span between the oldest and youngest – I get to do everything twice) is that when they were young…I was happy to watch them try anything. It gave my heart joy to watch them attempt things. Especially to compete. Then as they became accomplished at the activity (sports mostly) I was even impressed with them. They did some amazing stuff! I bought a new video camera to capture it so I could replay it again and again! They in turn would attend some of my sporting events and be amazed at dad. Then as they got older, I was still impressed with them while they slowly decided that dad was too old to play anything well. So of course, I had to prove myself. I offered them $10 for any time they beat me at a 1-on-1 sport (or game). Ping pong, tennis, basketball, volleyball (granted this is hard to play 1-on-1, chess, etc. So far I’ve had to pay Alyssa for chess and Kristopher for Ping Pong. I still haven’t lost to Kristopher in Basketball (although he SHOULD win).

So, it was with a happy heart that recently I earned my kids’ respect and admiration (?) without having to beat them. We played in the YMCA coed volleyball league – Kristopher, Alyssa, me, and three others we are friends with (all girls). Well, Kristopher, being 6’4 is “supposed” to be awesome, right? When he blocks it’s a thing of beauty…especially when he’s reaching 3 feet into the opponent’s court. Alyssa isn’t supposed to be able to hit on a “men’s” size net…but hey – she did! And she served great (as did Kristopher). She also set well when needed and was great on defense. Kristopher had some momentous shots and they both served their share of aces.

But, wait, the cycle I wanted to talk about was when they noticed dad.

So, I’m old. Granted. I’m slower. Granted. I don’t jump as high. Granted. But hey, sometimes, God grants us the ability to remember our younger days.

On the first serve of the championship match (the other team sported three guys, three girls. One of the girls was 6’1 and a was a former Varsity player for Michigan State Volleyball), Kristopher served a hard topspin. The former varsity player attempted to pass it but it rebounded off her platform too far and too high, right toward our side of the court. Since I was front row, and I was actually well focused – I leaped at the perfect time, and crushed the overpass back into the opponents court. Inside the 10’ line. Two of their players closed their eyes and were rewarded with the ball missing them. It bounced off the floor and then back close to the ceiling. Definitely and great start to the match. My team was pumped! They cheered. They slapped my back. But the best part was my 20 year old daughter who looked a little shocked. She said, “I’m on this side of the net, and that scared me!”

There is no joy like that of impressing your kids.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Finding Old Friends

Finding what is lost definitely provides an emotional high. Being absent-minded, I have many opportunities to enjoy the exhilaration of finding what was lost. This is true of money in summer pants pockets, a book or DVD, or even a pair of earphones. I lose a lot of things. Other losses are permanent. My dad, coming on four years ago, was a devastating loss. But, luckily, most things I lose, are eventually found again. And most times upon finding those things I experience great joy.

One of the things, over the last 25 years I've lost are friends.

Finding them (or them finding me) can be exciting...but it can also be scary. I find that I have not only a generally bad memory, I also have selective memory. My older brother seems to remember everything from his (and my) youth, while I am afflicted with very limited memories. So, I find it a bit nerve racking when I encounter someone I haven't seen or heard from in nearly a quarter century! Will we still get along? Will we still be friends?

It seems they have the same fears and uncertainties and doubts (FUD in AF jargon). Sometimes I wonder if it would be better to just leave the past behind us...and not find any old friends. I definitely don't want to participate in any of those HS reunions I see featured in a myriad of TV shows! I wouldn't remember anyone except my best friends, Eddie Diaz for one. Eddie I'd love to find, to see how he's doing. To reconnect. Others? Not so sure. But hey, it might be fun. Once you get past the FUD, it's kind of nice to remember you had a past...

And while I know that we, as creatures will always imagine the worst in lieu of factual information (hence the danger of partial information sharing and rumors), I'm finding that it's not all that bad when we run into an old long lost friend.

Unlike the food I found that I had put in a coat pocket over a year ago...