The Kids

I was watching my nephew's and niece's children play during the Thanksgiving celebration.

One of the little girls...maybe 5 or 6 years old asked me if I wanted to see her do a cartwheel.

I said that I did and she flipped 2 or 3 times, laughing as she did it.

I met my nieces when they were just young girls themselves. I watched them grow to fine young women and loving and adoring mothers.

"Good flips," I said.

(What else do you say to cartwheels?)

And my mind flipped me forward ten years...the young adults will be different, the teenagers seated on the couch would be the girls that were doing the cartwheels.

The old dogs will be the ones yawning. I'll be one of the old dogs, for sure.

"Clifford to the bar!" My brother-in-law called out. "A shot of Jamesons!"

I pointed to the twenty-somethings:

"It's their turn to do the shots!" I said.

But we toasted Mike's Dad, My Dad and Jeff.

(All in one shot).

And I couldn't shake the circle of life thoughts. Being thankful put me in that frame of mind.

As we were leaving I said my goodbyes and turned towards the door.

"Avery wanted a kiss and a hug," my niece said.

I turned to the little child in front of me.

The two-year old had her arms wide open...but she was so close to the ground...

I bent to pick her up and my back creaked and I moaned.

But I lifted her up and she wrapped her little arms around me.

"See you later!" She said.

I laughed.

Was a perfect way to end a party where I spent a few minutes thinking about kids growing to be parents and how parents become grandparents.

Thankful along the way.

Wish I could do a cartwheel.