My Oldest Girl's Volleyball Team

My wife and I are driving 178 miles one way today to go see my oldest daughter and her volleyball team play in Area game. If they win, or more positively, when they win, they will go to the next step toward State and go to Regional next Saturday.

That brings back lots of memories.

Growing up, I competed in swimming, and my parents made it to everyone of my meets. Some of them were far, especially by French standards. Hyere, Draguigan, Toulon are just some of the cities we visited for competitions. Visited is a generous word. Normally, we drove there, found the swimming pool, found the hotel if we were going to stay in a hotel, had a quick bite to eat, went back to the pool for warm ups and preliminaries, to the hotel late, up early the next morning for the final competition, and back home late that evening. So, we didn't visit any of the sites other that the swimming complex.

One year, I beat the regional record for the 100 meter breaststroke and my dad had promised me that we could eat anywhere I wanted if I beat a record. True to his word, we went to the Meridian in Nice, a hotel with a restaurant on top that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea. I don't remember what I ate, but I do remember the feeling, that feeling that says that my parents are proud to have me as a child. This particular occasion was because of something I did, but that was not necessarily needed. The feeling was and always is with me, that my parents are proud of who I was, who I am , who I turned out to be.

This is a feeling that I want to pass to my children, a fact that I want my wife to know. My wife is the most beautiful wife in the world... not just because I say the word, but because I truly believe these words. My children are the brightest and most awesome daughters a man can have... not because of the words, but because those words are truth.

Be careful of the thoughts you have, the words you speak, they will become your legacy.