A moment when time stood still and we basked in the uniqueness of that exact point in life. There have been few moments like this in my life.
At the altar of Christ Church saying "I do."
In the crystal waters of Vieques floating and snorkeling while Walter dove after a sea turtle.
Swinging furiously in my hammock tied to the top deck of an Amazonian lineboat under a sky filled with an infinite number of stars.
On the upper bunk of an Ukrainian train feeling the first blasts of air conditioning and hearing ABBA sing "Dancing Queen."
And now I add, standing on the track watching my son round the bend to complete his quarter mile run ALONE.
Not the only little boy to run alone, or the fastest, but my son. The one who needed constant encouragement from daddy running beside him all summer. The one who previously wanted to run like a slug.
He ran. Alone. Far away.
After I recovered from the disbelief that he would actually run by himself, I found myself lost in the symbolism of the moment.
He was so far away and I was supposed to just stand and watch. If he stumbled and fell, it would take at least a minute for Walter or I to reach him. If it started pouring down raining, he was over there, on the other side, all by himself. It seemed he had never been more independent and I had never been so amazed at what he could do when he put his mind to it. Just a small green shirt putting one foot after another. Amazing.
There was no bribing, no begging, no ordering to "march faster soldier." He took off without a backward glance and ran the lap not stopping even when he passed by the construction cones.
I stood mouth gaping open, lost in the moment.
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