Beautiful Things and New Beginnings

By Steve | Published: July 30, 2009

I have always considered my life to be blessed. When I look back to my childhood I realize that it was pretty perfect. Flipping through the memories of grade school, high school, college, young adulthood, and parenthood, and seeing where I am today, there is no doubt that I am one of the luckiest guys on the planet. I always thought that I had everything and really didn’t feel like I needed or even wanted much in my life to keep me happy. Of course we will probably all always want something on some level, but you know what I mean… that stuff would all just be icing on top of a great life.

DSCF1133 That perspective changed a little bit for me at 8:52 a.m. on July 29th, 2009. In that instant my daughter gave birth to a daughter. Yes, that would make that new baby my granddaughter. I had no idea how special that moment could have been. When I looked at my baby holding a baby that she could call her own everything changed. I feel like she filled a gap that I didn’t even know existed. I still don’t fully understand the rules of engagement on this new grandfather role. I don’t think I am old enough to be one, although I did have some great role models in my father and in my grandfathers. Everyone keeps asking me what my name will be and I have heard a million and a half suggestions but I still have no clue ….

But what I do know is that something incredibly beautiful just entered the world and my life and has given me a million reasons to want, and to do, and to be even more than I am now. Brynn Sinclair has raised the bar for me. She has given me new reasons to want to make things better…. Reasons to make HER world better. Hell, she has given me new reasons to make myself better. And yeah, I am looking forward to riding my bike to one of her activities in 10 years and hearing one of her friends say, “Brynn, THAT is your GRANDFATHER”?

I have many pictures of me racing and crossing finish lines with my kids through the years. It has always been my plan to stay healthy and active and be racing long enough to be able to cross finish lines with my children’s children. That goal is now a slam dunk and we have already started talking about which race will be Brynn’s first. But now, here is the kicker …. Let’s just say for the sake of doing the math, my granddaughter has a baby at the age of 25. That will put me in my mid seventies and I sure as hell plan to still be racing at that stage of my life. (see previous post An Abundance of Inspiration).

I take pride in the fact that I think I have done a pretty good job at being a good example for my kids. At least I have tried to. I have my faults but I think my heart and my drive have always been in the right place. I’m looking forward to continuing to be that example for another generation. It amazes me how in one instant, one’s world can be expanded by another rung on the ladder. In the blink of an eye another generation was welcomed in our lives. And she is loved.

stretch