On Saturday the coolest thing happened! My son got his first goal in soccer! And you know what? I have absolutely no digital documentation of the event whatsoever. Was that my plan? Nope. Do I usually always have my iPhone in hand? Absolutely yes! But for some reason yesterday, while standing on the sidelines at my son’s second soccer game, I found myself without a cell phone or tablet in hand. I got to watch in real definition my son run the ball down the field and slam it right into that goal!
And do you know what? The memory is almost more vivid than if I could rewatch the moment over and over on a little 4 inch screen. Instead of watching him make his goal through my iPhone screen, I was able to stand there on the edge of the field cheering my son on! And that memory is something that only Carter and I will ever be able to share. Yes, we had a blast telling daddy who happened to be out of town this weekend, and Nana & Papa who were home watching his baby brother. But that memory will forever be just Carter’s and mine.
By not having a phone in my face I was able to fully engage myself in the moment. Taking it all in. Watching. Screaming. Jumping up and down. And that wonderful victory hug. My son’s huge grin that took over his entire face wasn’t reduced to mere inches on an electronic screen. I wasn’t glued to my phone trying to make sure I captured that grin perfectly on video. Instead I got to watch my son run to me, arms wide open for a celebration hug, in real time.
I’m sure there will be plenty of other goals made by my son, and I can pretty much guarantee that one of those goals will indeed make it onto a video. But as far as his first goal…That’s a memory that only my son and his mommy will ever be able to share.
With Love, Jennifer