Sunday, February 13, 2011

The bes' day ebber!

Best days; I have had a few. I have been blessed to have done many things, gone many places, and met some really cool people. Those ingredients definitely can contribute to the recipe of some spectacular days.


I remember the day got accepted to the American Team to travel the country. I remember my TV debut. I remember driving off the lot in my first sports car. I remember seeing my work in print for the first time. Those were some really great days! I no longer have nor do those things.

I remember my graduation day from High School. I remember my graduation from beauty school. I remember days when I completed a long task and got recognized, certified, or the “atta-boys” I thought were so important. They were...then.

I also remember the first day my father told me he loved me. I was 21. There were more following. I remember when my wife agreed to marry me. We took a limo around town celebrating the fact that “this guy” got “that girl”. I remember hearing “I’m pregnant”; the kind you want to hear. I remember when she arrived. I remember when my son arrived. We became a whole family. I remember hearing news like, “She’s okay, the test came back negative”, or “the financing went through, we can keep our house”. Indeed these were “the best of days.” Gifts mind you. But we have many more.

Yesterday, a Saturday, my day started as most of mine do, not sleeping in and taking care of the family needs. That’s okay. I am an early riser. My son had basketball practice and my daughter was venturing out with a friend feeding her own interests.

My son plays well...for a kid who is short and slight. He is not well rehearsed in the game, but makes up for it in heart (what some may call hyper). I often read to allow me to focus on drowning out three hundred drumming basketballs being awkwardly bounced. I glance up whenever my son has the ball or it is his turn. When they play a scrimmage, the book closes. My son glances to the bleachers flashes me a smile. I return it with a “thumbs up!” He smiles bigger and returns to the game. He shoots, misses, and gets a thumbs up! Again smiling, he returns his focus to the game–both of us proud of the other.

Some of the other parents berate and yell game strategies and their disappointments at these fledgling athletes. Their children look around for reassurance in a public setting to find little or none there unless a score is made. I don’t get it–they’re seven years old.

The game ended. My son made a basket. I shared how proud I was of how he played. He didn’t win though. It didn’t matter. He was jazzed and we had bonding time ahead! He was panting as a pro athlete would, proud of his participation and accomplishment, satisfied of his performance of the day. His day could end there and he would be happy.
“You hungry son?”

“Yep, but Dad I want the place that has the pancakes and Hi-C!”

“That’s what I was thinking pal!”

“This is the bes’ day ebber!!” he shouted. Loudly.

The game’s loss forgotten as his focus was on syrup and Hi-C, and oh yeah, they make their donuts fresh, from scratch! We always get one to go!

Tired as I was from a food coma and an early rise to endure a bit of percussive thunder, I wanted a little sofa-surfing “dad-time” but was reminded of something. The new Lego set my son got the night before awaiting my plastic toy architectural prowess.

We set the dining room table with the protective mat, place the mini bricks of aggravation into their respective piles and proceeded.

“Wow Dad! You are Awesome!!!” (Well the directions helped a bit, but I will take the ribbon!)

After an hour or so, a bowl full of Skittles and a Capri sun, our mission was accomplished. The sugar fueled venture concluded in a few battle scenes taking place in our dining room until energy was spent. My son crashed on his bean bag chair in his room, newly constructed toy in hand, smile on his face in front of SpongeBob. His room destroyed–evidence of a level 4 bes’ day ebber!

An evening at a friends’ house, videogames, and pizza conclude the day’s itinerary. I asked him in the car on the way home, “Did you have a good time son?” He replied again in sleepy satisfaction, “The bes’ day ebber!”

Today. Early rise again. Coffee as the family lie in slumber. Giada DeLaurentis showing her cooking prowess on the streets of Capri. Time for church. The twenty minute drive accompanied by some beautiful music perfect for a sunny crisp morning. Great sermon. I went alone. Family slept in and went later. More good Dad time.

I studied my studies, went out for one of the best Vanilla Chai Teas in the city and returned home to spend time with family. Some couch time with the wife. She told me how much she liked our home. She also liked my recent paint job I did in the living room. I smiled. It is nice to be appreciated. I shared my Chai with her. I have her liking tea now. The dog got a bath. We went shopping for the kids’ valentines. We talked in the car. I went for groceries for school lunches as my wife returned to the kids. They were happy and doing kid stuff. I took out the trash and noticed the sun setting. The temperature here was actually pleasant for the first time in a while. The sunset beckoned. I donned my iPod headphones, put on some inspiring music and took a lap.

A wave of strong gratitude came over me to remind me once again that I am blessed, I am loved, I am lucky, and I am most thankful to have been given the grace to realize this. The years I missed these moments because I was too busy being “cool”. Too busy “making it”. Too blind.

There were no certificates today. There were no crowds or cameras. No awards or honors.
It was the bes’ day ebber!
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6 comments:

Unknown said...

Sweet memories for you and your family. I am sure he and the rest of the family went of to bed with a smile on you face and had happy dreams all night long. I love the best day ebber moments! Thanks for sharing and may you have many more. Minus all the sugar though or else your best days are going to have you sending in an app to the "biggest loser camp"...LOL

Much Love,
Deanne

Healing Morning said...

This was a beautiful window...a glimpse into what might seem to be a rather ordinary day for you. To those of us outside looking in, and particularly from a single status, it was lovely. You are, indeed, abundantly blessed.

So are very many of us, if we would but take time to stop and recognize the blessings in the mundane. Fireworks and brass bands don't have to scream the message in order for us to recognize and appreciate those "ebbers" moments, which is exactly the message you were communicating.

I enjoyed this very much, Tony. I don't have as much time as I used to to visit my favorite blogs, but please know, I do read every post you publish as it hits my Inbox.

Namaste',

Dawn

Tony Anders said...

Deanne- Thank you and yes, as I looked back, no wonder he crashed. Although not a typical pratice (Sugar madness), sometimes we have to get it out of our system! ;)
@Dawn - Thanks and good to see you again! It is funny in retrospect how extraordinary the ordinary can be with a shift in perspective. What I enjoy now is what I always craved. I was looking too far ahead to see what was directly in front of me. Nam!

Kevin Kato said...

Tony I appreciate not only the time you give your kids (A friend once told me kids spell love t-i-m-e.) but the time you give to yourself. There's always stuff to do, messages to send, things to read and write, and I for one too easily let myself get buried under all the things I tell myself I have to do today, tonight, now.

Think I'll go sit on the couch now and just hang out with the kids.

Peace,
Kevin

Tony Anders said...

I like that Kevin (Love=T-I-M-E). Many of us complain about getting older and lost childhoods. The gift we get through our children is one more peek at the world through the eyes of innoncence. Enjoy your couch time!

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