Creating Memories

I am presently sitting in a coffee shop in Jackson, Mississippi. I am on a road trip with my wife, daughter, and granddaughter. We have just left Duluth, Georgia where we connected with my grandson. He competed in the National Junior Judo Competition. He travelled with his team. They had a great tournament. This isn't a diary entry or travel log. It is the account of a memory creation.

I have to begin by saying that for me driving several thousand miles rates really high on the gag me meter. I know some may love it but it just doesn't work for me. I think it is a scar from childhood. With that said, here I am. Creating memories is not about convenience. It is about catching moments. In our case, Savannah, my granddaughter, will be leaving for college in two weeks. I experienced my fifty-eighth birthday this week but that is nothing compared to knowing you have a granddaughter going to college. I am still trying to get over it.

Getting to spend several days with Savannah has been special. We have laughed a lot. We have gotten to sing a lot. We have eaten far more than we needed to eat. We have been able to celebrate her. She has gotten to do pretty much anything she wanted. We have spoiled her. It has been great.

Then, there is Caleb. He didn't really expect that his mom would be able to make this trip. Even though this national competition was important to him, she just is physically limited travel wise. So, we created a bed in the back of a rented SUV and made it work for her. He really didn't think we had the time or money to make it. So, you can probably imagine how he felt when he saw us just before his first fight. He had a great tournament. He came in second in the nation in his weight classification. The memory was made the moment he saw us walk in.

I wanted to rehearse this with you to remind me of how special this week has been. I also wanted to encourage you to stay aware of life moments. Not just yours but the moments you are sharing with people you love. I have to confess that I have missed too many of them in my life. So, I am thankful that I was awake and alive for this one. Do well my friends.