Glory Days (Well They’ll Pass You By)

Sitting in the stands at a Clemson baseball game with my 12 yo, Bruce’s Glory Days cut through the noise of the crowd like a knife and I quickly took a note to remind myself to look them up.

These lines stuck out to me the most.

Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
A little of the glory of, well time slips away
And leaves you with nothing mister but
Boring stories of...

Glory days yeah they'll pass you by

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Life Comes At You Fast

I’m getting older (40, here I come), but I realize the kids are too, and fast. 12 will soon be 13 and then 18, and before I know it he’ll be off at college or wherever life takes him. The others are soon to follow.

How do I stay present enough now to live in the moment with them and not just pine after “glory days” once they’re grown?

Presence and experiences seem to be the answer that’s been there all along. While I am a really active and involved dad, am I really paying attention and noting what’s going on around me? Seeing how the kids are growing and changing. Learning and showing new sides of themselves. Am I living in the best way I can to be an example for them?

I hope so for the most part, even though I know at times I’m not. Now, however, I feel like I can at least have the presence of mind to come back to the moment and try to experience it more, while also recording more in my journal and in photos. 

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Back to Clemson

With that context, more on the trip to Clemson, SC.

Our oldest has never been further from home than Kansas City (3 hour drive), and certainly never on an airplane. What he has been, however, is a major Clemson fan since he was 5 years old. He’s followed their baseball team for the last 3 to 4 years, and I had always had in the back of my mind that it would be amazing to take him to a weekend series at their home stadium, but we never do anything like that.

“You never do anything like this,” were my wife’s exact words when she suggested I take him on a guys trip to Clemson for Spring Break. 

For the sake of time, I won’t go into every detail of the trip, other than to say, it was amazing. While we did get to see some great baseball in two beautiful ballparks (Clemson’s home stadium and a neutral site in Greenville, SC) and meet some wonderful people along the way, the real experience for me was spending three unplugged days alone with my son.

At home I only get to see how he lives/interacts with our family and with close friends, but on this trip I had the chance to see how he is truly is with others - and I was super impressed and proud. He wanted to talked to everyone from woman at the rental car counter (he wanted the Dodge Challenger vs the Toyota Tacoma I reserved) to the fans in the stands, to the servers at the pizza place after the game, and to each of them he showed energy and gratitude.

We also talked about his role as a big brother, and the opportunity that brings to be an example for his younger siblings - something I’ve been meaning to talk to him about, but at home the time is rarely right.

And after two full days of baseball, with any option open to him, all he wanted to do was go back to the hotel, eat popcorn, and watch funny movies with me on TV - Hot Shots Part Deux and Dodgeball (both maybe could have waited another year or two 😬).

I got to see him exit his “bubble” and really “be” in the world with other people, places, and experiences, and while it was only a small sample of life, I came home really confident that his foundation is strong and I’m so excited to see, and be present for, what he builds on top of it from here. 

Thanks Bruce

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Thanks for reading,
Paul

Plan. Progress. Grace. Move Forward.