Collect memories, not possessions

I started running with my son when he was 2 years old.  My wife and I had entered him in the youth version of a race we were going to run.  At the start for the kids someone had the brilliant idea to use an actual starters pistol to start the race.  When the gun went off, my son just stood there crying along with about 25 other kids.  I did what every father/mother who just ran a 10 mile race would do – I picked him up and RAN!  Since then we have run countless races together including two half marathons

That first race was 15 years ago and now he is a high school runner, part of a pretty good team.  I stopped running with him soon after our last half marathon because he started high school and he was part of a team.  No time for dad anymore.  The cross country coach took over as his mentor.  I bowed out on purpose because I knew he couldn’t have two coaches, that wouldn’t be fair to him OR the team he was about to join. I spent my time in the shadows doing my thing and not interfering with anything he was doing.  Just as I thought, his feelings about running went from a fondness to a true love of the sport.   He has learned a lot about running from his new coach and team over the past few years.  Most of what he has learned he has related back to me as the correct way to run.  As he enters his last year of high school he realizes this part of his life is coming to an end and he has started to look forward to what is next.  He mentioned that he looks forward to running with his dad again.  This makes me feel like I made the right decision 3 years ago.

I was once told I need to collect memories not things.  That is what I concentrated on when we were running together.  I never passed up a chance to spend time with my son.  Now that he is making plans to go to college, I know what that means… the memories I have are priceless and all that I have.  I’m sure he means it when he says he wants to run with his dad again, and I’m sure we will.  But I also am a realist.  I know that college brings with it a lot of changes, most good.  His life will go on and he will be a life long runner.  I hope to be with him on many of those runs in his future, but when we are running and the conversation turns to how to be truly happy, my advise will be to collect memories my son, not possessions.