Ups and Downs
Talk about feeling a little long in the tooth. Matt went to his Junior Prom tonight. That's just crazy! What's even crazier is he didn't even have to pay the girl to go with him, and she wasn't related to him either.
Seriously, I kid him all the time, but he's done well. Of course, in the days leading up to the prom he acted like Mr. Cool. It's an awkward age, for sure, and the last thing you want to do is express your feelings to your parents. He moved around as if the prom was just another day in his thrilling life.
The thing about kids is that they don't fully understand that the old man and old lady were also young once. They don't know that we appreciate and remember the up days of life, because now it seems as if they are all sort of down. At least that is how a teen pictures it.
Yet as I drove towards home tonight, I thought of the two proms that I went to. I could almost picture the girls in their dresses, and I remember meeting their parents - and especially their fathers - and being a little nervous. Those old men were about my age now, right?
And I remember the days leading up to the prom and how it seemed like it would never get there. I wanted so bad to act like a grown-up for a night - even though the dates I had were more of the friendship variety. It didn't matter. The chicks dug me. It was good for self-confidence.
And years later, I think about how truly insignificant those proms seem to be now. I didn't marry the girls. I don't even remember where the dances were held to be honest and while I know there was an Air Supply song chosen for one of them, I don't recall any truly memorable dances. (And let me tell you, I can cut a rug).
But I do know that it was an up day. And at the time, it was a really important day.
And I thought of Matt and how I wouldn't bust on him or his date, and I wouldn't tease him even a little. He deserves his up days. Even if years later he realizes that they weren't as significant as he thought they might be.
There are plenty of days when you feel clobbered by life. Attending a prom shouldn't be one of those days.
And maybe its more significant than I think anyway.
I do remember shaking my junior prom dates father's hand. He squeezed real hard as he smiled at me. He seemed to be passing a message. I'm sure he was thinking that his kid was too young to go to a prom already.
Now I know the feeling. It's a wink of an eye.
Seriously, I kid him all the time, but he's done well. Of course, in the days leading up to the prom he acted like Mr. Cool. It's an awkward age, for sure, and the last thing you want to do is express your feelings to your parents. He moved around as if the prom was just another day in his thrilling life.
The thing about kids is that they don't fully understand that the old man and old lady were also young once. They don't know that we appreciate and remember the up days of life, because now it seems as if they are all sort of down. At least that is how a teen pictures it.
Yet as I drove towards home tonight, I thought of the two proms that I went to. I could almost picture the girls in their dresses, and I remember meeting their parents - and especially their fathers - and being a little nervous. Those old men were about my age now, right?
And I remember the days leading up to the prom and how it seemed like it would never get there. I wanted so bad to act like a grown-up for a night - even though the dates I had were more of the friendship variety. It didn't matter. The chicks dug me. It was good for self-confidence.
And years later, I think about how truly insignificant those proms seem to be now. I didn't marry the girls. I don't even remember where the dances were held to be honest and while I know there was an Air Supply song chosen for one of them, I don't recall any truly memorable dances. (And let me tell you, I can cut a rug).
But I do know that it was an up day. And at the time, it was a really important day.
And I thought of Matt and how I wouldn't bust on him or his date, and I wouldn't tease him even a little. He deserves his up days. Even if years later he realizes that they weren't as significant as he thought they might be.
There are plenty of days when you feel clobbered by life. Attending a prom shouldn't be one of those days.
And maybe its more significant than I think anyway.
I do remember shaking my junior prom dates father's hand. He squeezed real hard as he smiled at me. He seemed to be passing a message. I'm sure he was thinking that his kid was too young to go to a prom already.
Now I know the feeling. It's a wink of an eye.
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