The Wink

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When I was young there were times when the entire family went to church together. It was no small feat as there were eight of us to stuff in a pew - and good behavior was expected, but not always accomplished. As we grew, we all still went to mass, but we sort of broke it up a bit - some went on Saturday nights, others preferred the early mass, and those of us who were hungover a bit went to the late Mass before the Bills game.

I remember not waking for the early mass and getting ready for a Bills game at the stadium - my friends and I made plans to leave by 11:00 - my mother explained that I wouldn't be tailgating as I still had Mass to attend. My buddies waited for me - thanks Jeff & Al.

This morning, we all went to Mass together - we squeezed into a pew and the overall behavior was good. Yet what sent me back through time was the fact that Sam was as far away from me, on the other side of Kathy and Jake and Matt. At one point during the Mass he looked over, and I winked at him. He smiled and tried to wink back, closing both eyes in the process - and suddenly, I was eight years old again, looking at my father and getting the same sort of wink.

Time goes by so quickly and there are moments that are pushed deep into the back of our minds. I honestly didn't think of my father's wink until I tossed it out there for Sam and now I remember feeling secure, and happy, and sure - that even though Mass seemed like five hours long on Sunday's when the Bills played - that my parents loved me.

It's a lot for an 8-year old to consider, but perhaps he'll think of it 35 or so years from now.

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