Julian and I went for a brief swim tonight. Ok he swam and I sat by the pool like a slug. The sun was still fairly high in the sky and to our backs as we walked back to the house afterwards. Our shadows were cast in front of us long and funny things mimicking our walk. Julian commented “look at our shadows.” And I did. Mine was longer than his as we walked side by side.
He told me mine is smaller than yours but someday it will be bigger. And he walked quickly and assuredly ahead of me until his shadow was in fact taller than mine. It was a brief yet powerful observation from my six year old son. Someday he will in fact be bigger than me.
For some reason it made me emotional and grateful at the same time. I smiled and wrapped my arm around him. These moments are the gifts of life. Our awareness in the moment and our thoughts about what the future will bring. Time keeps moving forward. We cannot control it. We can only control how we choose to be present.
I could have sat on my butt at the house (instead of by the pool like the slug that I am) and then Julian and I would not have had that moment. I would not have had the chance to bond with him. To hear how he sees and thinks about the world. Or to reflect on how I see it and think about it as well.
I hope we have another moment years from now where he tells me to look at our shadows and that his is bigger than mine. And that he smiles at me and wraps his arm around me.
We each get to be small and big. Then big and small. We are shadows through time.
PS – Thanks, Matt for inspiring me to write again.
