The Good Ol' Days

I have a theory, but I'll get to that in a minute. One of Brian's most cherished childhood memories is going fishing with his dad. He remembers with tremendous fondness eating sweet, sticky donuts with his dad while taking in the crisp morning air. He would watch in awe as his dad would make the perfect cast and they spent the day waiting and hoping to catch the "big one" (or any "one" really). Life just seemed...simple. In an earnest effort to recreate this memory with his sons, Brian planned a day of fishing and was looking forward to it with boyish anticipation. But it was anything but simple. We were up most of the night before with Blake vomiting and Garrett's asthma. Brian tried to call off the fishing trip in the morning but was met with GREAT protest (to put it mildly). So, off they went (with medicine and an extra bucket, just in case). What Brian didn't expect was to spend most of the day untangling fishing lines and disciplining the boys who were running around on a donut-induced sugar high. Not exactly peaceful and relaxing. His experience begs the question, "was it really that much simpler 30 years ago?" True, there were no cell phones, no computers, and, yes, no blogging. My theory, however, is this: the reason the "ol' days" are "good" is because we were kids. No grown-up worries, responsibilities and expectations. Just fun, that was our job. The difference this time was that Brian was the grown up, not the kid. So, while Brian might not consider this fishing excursion a success, I am positive that the boys will look back on this experience with the same fondness that Brian had when he was a child. It's not about catching fish or getting donuts, it's about enjoying the "good" of the "day" and sharing it with someone you love. And, no, they didn't catch the "big one", or any "one".