Just this week, my wife and I have left work early three times for 4:00 baseball games. I attended a school meeting one night, and have been working through the weekend on some awards for his baseball end of season banquet.
That’s just this week. This is in addition to my full time job, plus mowing the lawn, and the assorted other duties you get as a homeowner. No. Don’t shed any tears for me. This was a light week.
However, as I laid in bed pondering the seven things I needed to do the next day, my mind began to melt when I thought of my parents and all that we put them through when we were in high school.
My parents had five children. Four of us were in high school through a six year time span. From 1986 to 1993, there was at least one Kamler roaming the halls of the high school. During the day must’ve been fine for my parents. At least they knew we were all inside the same building.
It’s when the clock struck 3:00 that terror should’ve washed over their faces. Three o’clock was the time for… activities. My parents didn’t raise bumps on a log either. There were sports and bands and orchestras and plays and tryouts for things and contests.
Just from a sheer numbers perspective, any army general would’ve known they were outgunned. There were four of us and two of them. One would be at baseball practice, one would be at band, one would need to head off to wrestling, then one would have a softball game. How? How did they do it?
I just mowed my lawn and went and watched my son’s baseball game. Sitting down. And I’m ready for a vacation.
Maybe it was easier for them? Maybe there were fewer distractions with less television or internet or something? Maybe it was just simpler because there were no cell phones. So if Bobby didn’t get picked up for a couple hours, just sitting on the front stoop of the high school without a care in the world, he’d be none the wiser? There were no angry texts. “Whn R U piking me up ” Maybe there was less peer pressure to participate?
Maybe they’re just extraordinary human beings. Maybe they saw the value their kids got from these activities and put aside their personal lives for years while they played taxi and attendee and supporter of their childrens’ lives.
Maybe, just maybe, that’s why I turned out the way I did.
On the other hand, maybe that’s why I’m so dang tired after doing 1/10th of what they did. Because they didn’t make me walk to and from school both ways, or something.
With Mother’s Day being last weekend and Father’s Day coming up around the corner, if you, like me, were ferried to and from multiple activities without a thought of what your parents were giving up to do it, give them a call this weekend and tell them thank you.
Or take a nap in their honor.
(Get tired by following Chris Kamler on Twitter, where he is known as @TheFakeNed. You can also try to keep up with him on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube)