Wait For Dave

We were all at the door. The process of getting kids into coats and boots is surprisingly complex. There was hustle and bustle, there were sudden needs to go to the bathroom and heated discussions about taking stuffed toys along for the ride. But, in the end, kids were clothed and shod and the door opened. I am usually one of the first out, the door needs to be held for me - so I'm never last out the door. Ruby and Sadie were into the hall in an instant.

Sadie was beginning to head towards the elevator. It's a bit of a trek because we are at the end of the hallway. Ruby stopped Sadie saying, "Wait for Dave, he likes to race."

And it's true.

When the girls are here, we three race all the time. Them running pell mell to get to the elevator, to get to the door, to get to anywhere really. As I am a responsible adult, we never race where racing isn't safe. As they are responsible children, they don't either. But when we race, we race. I open up the power chair and zip as fast as I can, they both hunker down and RUN.

I never win.

Yet, I always win.

The older I get the more I care about my reputation, my legacy. I don't think it's uncommon to begin to wonder how one will be remembered.

As we all ran down the hallway, I thought, that the sentiment behind, "Wait for Dave, he likes to race" is as great a testiment to my character, my relationship with others, as I could wish.