In Which We Become Grandparents
The circle of life. Kinda cliché that. No matter how seriously or frivolously I might be approaching it, just saying or writing those words always turns on a Lion King soundtrack. Can’t help it. Got it going on right now.
When you think about it, though, it not’s really a circle at all. More like a long and winding road (cue Beatles) with both an on-ramp and an exit, and plenty of blind curves in between. Of late I’ve been focused on the exits; I’m kinda in the middle of my own journey and the tiny trickle of people I know who’ve exited the route has now become a rather steady flow. Two friends lost fathers this week, and more than several of us see our own family members moving out of the left and center lanes as their vehicle lines up on the far right for the “exit only” lane.
Kind of a bummer, and for anyone my age those right lanes are only gonna get more and more crowded.
From where I sit it’s easy to forget that there are ON-ramps to this great journey, too. After all, the circle or the winding road has to start somewhere. It is here that we find joy, that unfettered joy that fairly bursts with the arrival of a new traveler. Rafiki holds Simba aloft and the kingdom erupts in cheer. A baby arrives and life begins anew. The circle glows and the winding road hums with the new energy.
The White family has grown by one. Randy and his br!de welcomed our little prince, Landon, on Thursday. 40 weeks in the making and 40 hours (no typo) in the arriving, Beth and I are now grandparents. Babies change everything, man, for everyone. Now we’ve got us one for the first time in 23 years and I find myself as unprepared as I was when “the Heir” made his grand entrance.
The circle turns and the road winds. Sadness is balanced with joy as we spin along our way. I find it impossible to wipe this silly little smile off my face. Anybody know what the official grandparent soundtrack is?
This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2015 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Random Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
October 1st, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Do we have to leave on the right? Makes it that much harder for me! You know – stubborn doesn’t go away, even though memory does – there is a song in the back of my mind, but can’t get it just now; maybe tomorrow or by the time we get there. I’ll write it down if it comes
October 4th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
Oh Sandy, what a laugh that gave us in the car! Yes, anything leaning right would be a challenge for you. Looking forward to when you remember that song.