I sat on the deck this afternoon with a good cigar, and a good brew and just listened.
We have a school that is about 50 yards from our yard. When we bought this house back in 1996 it was one of the selling points. That along with the fact that we were buying it from family and getting a great deal. Back then the school house k-5, and that is were The Princess went to 1-4. When she got into 5th grade the school was closed and she went to another one that is a couple of blocks in the opposite direction.
Sitting here listening to the leaves, I can also hear the kids coming in from last recess. I can hear the buzzer, and the buses pulling up getting ready to take them home. The parents are queing up in the same place that I used to when I picked The Princess up. The sound of little peoples voices is like a balm. I love listening to them as they are chattering to one another. When this was our school, it had a huge family feel to it. We all knew one another, saw one another at all the functions, and watched out for one anothers kids. If someone was late, the parents would hang around and let our kids play on the playground until the late parent arrived. Now that we are years beyond that, I find how much I miss those days.
I missed those days with my eldest daughter, and even though I had some of that time with my boys, I basically missed those days with my own kids. I lived them vicariously through The Princess. I am a flawed Father.
Anyway. Live life now. Don’t look back on it and regret. Life is to be lived now.
Namaste.