Two things happened in the past few weeks that really made me think.
1. I spoke to the dad of a guy we play soccer with. Dave still comes to watch his boys play soccer - even rec soccer... and his boys are 20 and 23. I love seeing Dave at games. He loves his boys and he loves to watch them play soccer. He told me to cherish every game I get to see my kids play. Every game. He said he wished he could trade places with me and raise his boys all over again. I love to watch my kids play soccer. I don't know what I will do when my last kid is all done playing and I don't have games to watch anymore. Dave made me think. He made me think about my kids and how much I love them and how much I want to cherish where they are at right now. They are growing up way too fast.
2. David Otai died in a plane crash. We played soccer against David on Friday night (the same Friday night I talked to Dave about cherishing time with my kids) and less than 2 days later, on Sunday morning, he was gone. David played soccer like I want to live my life. David played with joy. David had a HUGE smile on his face all the time. Seriously. I don't remember seeing him without a smile. Everyone I talked to who knew David or played against David all said the same thing. David loved soccer. David loved life. David always made others smile. David was only 23 years old.
So, my head has been spinning.
Spinning with thoughts about my kids.
Spinning with thoughts about my life.
Here is my boy and his friend... who I think of like another son... and the only reason they met was because of soccer - and that makes me smile