Kind of sad...won't make this a habit

Shortly after my Dad, died a friend who had also lost her Dad at an early age told me that at random moments for the rest of my life, I would have that awful pang of pain and loss come rushing back to surprise me at the most inopportune times. Such was the case tonight.

For our wedding anniversary, my Mom gave us a gift certificate to Red Lobster (thank you, Mom!). We decided to make it a family outing this evening...ends up this was a real task. McKinley was being particularly persnickety by fighting sleep like the trooper he is (that boy just does not want to miss a thing!), we were both forced to leave the table to console him and woo him back to sleep. This is the first time we've had a situation like this to deal with while out in public. I kept thinking, "Mmmm, cold shrimp!"

Well, that's just not the stuff that matters, moments like this one matter; during my turn to leave the table, I took McKinley outside to get him away from the chaos in the restaurant. I stood outside and swayed back and forth with him, whispering in his ear and kissing him to comfort him. A man stood outside also, smoking a cigarette (don't worry, he was far enough away we couldn't even smell the smoke). Well, I didn't think a thing of being out there, doing my new-mommy thing. When the man was finished with his cigarette, he slowly walked toward me, stopped and said, 'Ma'am?' By the way, guess I'm officially a ma'am now, not a Miss, huh? 'Ma'am? I mean no offense by this, nothing other than...I just wanted you to know that you two make a beautiful picture. There is nothing like seeing a new mom and her baby. Its beautiful to see.'

I thanked him and he went back inside.

Well, until now I didn't give it much thought. Then, as I'm rocking McKinley tonight I started to think about Dad (as I usually do at this time, for some reason-guess its the quiet within those moments?), the man popped into my head. It hit me that my Dad won't ever witness the moment that this random man at Red Lobster witnessed with me and my son tonight. I mean, I know he's there in spirit with me ALL the time, I believe that, but he's not HERE. He does not have the luxury to see his daughter hold his grandson! That is something I hope I don't have to miss some day.

There are some stressful things going on in my life right now, things and issues that have really been working on me, who doesn't have that, right? Well, it made those two online classes and that list that didn't get done today and that phone call that I never received seem so trivial. It isn't those things that matter. What matters most is the people around us that we love and how good we choose to make our lives. Life is just too short to sit and worry about these little things that aren't going to matter in three or four weeks time, or better yet...when we're 90. Its the stuff like the moment I had that make our lives so special! Like thinking about my late Dad while holding my beautiful little boy, knowing he won't get to do what I am doing, but being so grateful for the people I still have in my life that make it so good.

So, if you're one of those people, THANK YOU!!!! ;-)

Sorry to get sappy...it just made me think. Made me think about all those stupid things I need to just forget! Made me think of what Cary and I created and what we love with all our hearts!!!!!

Lynn