The Lessons of Life

Did you ever stop to wonder how it is that you know all of the basic things that you know? All of the little life lessons that have kept you out of harms way, free from embarassment, and curious about the world around you.

• Look both ways before crossing
• Fire is hot
• Ice is cold
• Always say please and thank you
• Don't pee into the wind
• Don't swallow quarters (that is a personal one)

It just seems like from the time we were born that someone was always teaching us how or why to do something. How to be a better person, why you need to study, how to meet a girl (LOL).

So much information that we take for granted. I thought about this yesterday as I darted between two parked cars and jaywalked across the DC streets. I guess that is not accepted behavior when you are either pushing a stroller or have a kid in tow.

Am I now a role model?

Oh my god!

I know that my father is up there looking down at me and while I am sure that he is very proud, he is laughing as hard as he can. All of those years of "I told you so's" and "I hope you have one just like you!" are now coming to fruition.

We were talking with Mom last week about whether or not we could survive a child that was anything like I was. Not that I was bad....I was actually a good kid and good student, but I was hell on wheels and I did have over 300 stitches in my body before the age of 10.....please help me if my son is anything like that.

While I was happy that we bought a home near wooded area with trails and creeks, now all I see is danger....from the tree my son could definitely fall out of, to the rock formations that I am already certain he will skin his knees on climbing, to the old rope swing hanging over the creek........it is very much the type of area that I grew up around. If I had a dollar for all of the times that we went to play on "the cliff" after all of our parents expressly forbade it I would be able to take my wife on a nice vacation!

But I guess the important thing is knowing already that he will be a typical boy, and he will disobey, and he will do things that he is not supposed to, and he will, unfortunately get some boo boos along the way........all I can do is teach him how to climb, how to fall, how to run....and oh yeah, those other important things that I mentioned before.

I really can't wait....................to go sled riding!!!!