Dad

There’s nothing like dad when it comes to crossing the line. We’ve been told for years not to cross the tracks alone. There are warning lights and gates that we need to heed. It’s not always safe. Crossing can be dangerous. It’s like there’s a new world on the other side that’s waiting to be explored but not until we’re ready.
Finally, the warning lights are off, the gate is up, and we reach for dad’s hand to help us across. It’s the first day of school and Dad is crossing the tracks with me. To a mom and dad, it’s kindergarten and they know how many years of school are ahead. To a five-year old, it’s a rite of passage, and they are only thinking about the next few hours, or perhaps the next few days. Until now, time has been marked by events like morning, lunch, afternoon, supper, bath, bedtime, etc. Now, it will be marked by clocks and bells.
As we grow older, there will be many warning lights and gates to warn us of the dangers of “crossing the tracks.” How well did we learn to watch for them? Will we see them all? Will we heed the warnings? Will someone be there to take our hand and help us across? Who will it be?

Blurred by a bubble

Today our daughter, son-in-law and their two girls are somewhere on top of the earth flying from Hong Kong to Toronto after a six-month employer assignment. While I’ve done the top-of-the-world flights a few times, fifteen hours is fifteen hours no matter how many time zones you go through or from which direction. By the end of the flight, life is a blur because you’ve been in this high speed bubble about fourteen hours too long and like this little boy, no matter how fast you go, it’s still a blur until time catches up. While I don’t envy Troy and Kim as they emerge from the Air Canada bubble with two realllly tired little girls, it will be great to have them back.

But think about it, aren’t we all in a bubble of some kind? How do we deal with it? Do we let it blur our vision or the vision others have of us? Do we keep running faster and faster hoping the bubble will get bigger, or do we try and outrun the bubble hoping it will eventually burst, and we will emerge unharmed on the other side? Are you trapped in a high-speed bubble that just won’t let go? Is time catching up with your bubble? When your bubble finally breaks, will anyone recognize you? Perhaps it’s time to think about the real you.