Getting Better All The Time

There will be snapshots in time that you will carry with you for a long time. These represent points in time that have a special meaning and a special place in your heart. Most of those moments for me are with my family, and many of these are wrapped up in hockey and lacrosse. They are probably not going to sound like those Sports Illustrated type moments we often relate to great games or other spectacular events. They are some pretty common moments that many parents have probably experienced. My boys have grown up fast and are becoming young men quickly. One moment my wife is standing on our front porch with Jack O’lanterns glowing in the dark as the boys are trying out their new Halloween costumes she’s made for them – the next moment they’re asking to borrow the car keys. From 2 to 20 is a blink of the eye. Our old garage not only served as a garage, but it was were the three boys played hockey and tried out goaltending and shooting on each other. I drive by the old house once in a while and think of those days. I knew it when it was going on that I was probably experiencing the best of days. You just can’t slow the clocks down enough sometime. I really did enjoy tying my boy’s skates when they were mites, and buying hot chocolate at the concession stand after practice. It has always been a privilege to share these moments. It’s the little things that I miss. I like things the way they are now also, but the early days when the kids were little are truly special. I only hope they too have the same experience some day. I know that someday today will be just a memory, and I hope to make the most out of the time we still have together before they are all out the door leading their own journeys through life. You need to try to take it all in while you can. Taping a stick, or going to take a pair of skates to get sharpened may seem like a hassle sometimes, but when you think about it you may see that you’re lucky just to be asked. Over the years lot of players, parents, and fans pass through the doors of hockey rinks all across the US and Canada. Thousands of parents also tote folding umbrella chairs out to Lacrosse fields. These are some of the best times a lot of us will remember. These days will go by fast, and then what? I don’t know, I haven’t gotten there yet, but I hope I can look back at today and say; that was a great day. If it wasn’t then I need to figure out how to make the next one better. Don’t expect this to happen without a bit of effort, but expect it to be well worth it in the long run. Great days are what you need to start brewing great hockey, and that’s something to remember.