A Remember When Moment…
I always love spending time with my Dad. This weekend I got to hang out with his guinea fowl.
They are only a few weeks old and are just learning to come out of their home for a couple hours each evening after the sun goes down so that they don’t get too hot. They sure are a hoot to watch.
We have to keep an eye on Dad’s cat so that she doesn’t chase them. They tend to fly far and end up in the neighbors yards. But that was a fun moment for us too.
The best part of my time with Dad was the stories he told. I love hearing about when he was growing up, or about when he and Mom first married. Lot’s of laughs and I’m glad that we have this time to talk, share and hang out together.
Dad’s bestfriend came this weekend too and he brought some funny stories with him as well.
Here is one of the stories that he shared from when I was young.
We went to see Dad’s bestfriend, Brian and family in Prince George. I must have been about 7 or 8. I don’t remember all the details of the trip but I do remember the ride…
I’m not sure when exactly I got a ride, first day we were there or the next, but I do remember that it was evening. Dad and Brian were playing with his bike in his garage and then taking it out for a run.
Katy (Brian’s daughter) who is about my age, asked me if I wanted to go see the bike. I said, “Sure!”
As we were waiting for the bike to come back (I’m not sure who was riding), Katy told me, “If you go for a ride, hang on! It’s fast but it’s worth it!” I’d actually completely forgot about what she’d said until Brian was telling the story of my first ride with him on the back of the bike.
He asked me if I wanted to go, I remember looking at Dad to see if it’d be ok. I was scared, but thrilled at trying something new.
Dad said, “It’s up to your Mom.” I must have gone to ask her, because I did get on the back of Brian’s bike. He said, “Hang on.” And I did. Wow! I will always remember that scary, exciting, amazing feeling. I don’t know how long we went for but I did tell Brian that I remember when we got back Mom said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your smile that big.” I was hooked! I loved riding! I loved the speed, the air flowing around me. The thrill of being on two wheels and banking hard on corners. Little did I know that we weren’t banking too hard and we didn’t go really fast, but when you are young, everything new is bigger, right? Especially in the dark.
The whole time Brian was telling the story from his point of view I kept seeing flashes in my memory, things I’d forgotten about. But during the walk down memory lane, I remembered that feeling. The rush. The feeling that I could do anything, no matter how scared I was.
While Dad and I talked about that memory, he reminded me of something my Mom use to say, “Being scared is just the opposite side of the same coin as thrill. Focus on the thrill and go for whatever it is that scares you.” He told me that I’ve always lived up to that and that he was sure Mom would be proud of me. Made me cry, I love my Dad.
