Matt told me last week that he had signed up for intramural hockey with some campus friends, some of whom never played before. He called early this morning after his game, as was his custom when he was playing and we couldn't make it to see him play. The wonder and excitement in his voice took me back to when he first took to the ice as a kid who was getting a late start at hockey. Most of the kids with whom he played were already four or five year veterans; so, he had a lot of catching up to do.
This morning, though, he said that he could still skate and was very polite and sportsmanlike,playing defense and passing the puck even though he was the best skater on the ice and could have taken it end-to-end. He had fun. And that was great to hear in his voice -- sheer fun and utter satisfaction.
Fair play. Sportsmanship. Stacey, who woke up and told me the phone was ringing, pointed out Matt learned his lessons well from one of his favorite books he made us read to him over and over and over when he was little -- How Tom Beat Captain Najork and his Hired Sportsmen by Russell Hoban & Quentin Blake, a book that was lost when the basement flooded a few years back. I had forgotten about the book, and memories of the totally un-fun Ms. Fidget Wonkham-Strong, metal helmet on her head, and Tom's games washed over me, as did the fun we had watching Matt play hockey.
It was a great phone call and a joy- and wonder-filled post mortem laying in bed with Stace. I discovered one of the reasons we had children.
Posted by Bill at January 10, 2006 02:58 AMWhat a wonderful post!!! I am continually amazed at how truly wonderful parenthood is. My offspring is only 11, so it is so good for me to hear that this joy and wonder continues after they become adults.
Posted by: moonandsun03 at January 10, 2006 12:01 PMI've always said that what I want for #2 and #3 is for them to love hockey in 20 years as much as they do now, and are still playing it- even if it's just getting on the ice with their children for a game of pond hockey.
YOU are the reason that Matt is still playing hockey, and loving the game. YOU steered him through the years of competition and competitive players and parents and coaches and seasons of games and practices and bad ref-ing. YOU made sure he knew it was a game, a sport, and not the meaning of life. (Although the hockey gods might strike me down for saying that!)
You deserved the afterglow. :-) You rock, both of you!
Posted by: lucy at January 10, 2006 12:37 PM