For the past almost five years now, I’ve written about some interesting, sometimes hard to believe experiences. Hitchhiking in Iceland, bargaining in Tijuana, and marathoning in New York City. Underwater modeling in California, hat making, and redirecting my life to Mississippi in order to get good at golf. Getting sick in Mexico City, watching two Serie A games in person in two different cities on the same day in Italy, road-tripping the great United States of America both east to west and north to south.
This list could literally go on for days, and that’s just the stuff I find interesting enough to write about. There are many more experiences that will never make it into these pages, and there are experiences I will always keep close to my heart.
And then there are the small things, or better yet, the things that seem small or normal that are actually some of my absolute favorites!
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From a young age, I think I knew the non-traditional life was for me. I had very little interest in templates someone else designed. But it took these almost five years of exploration to gain the needed courage and confirm what I thought I wanted. Indeed, blazing my own trail is what gets me up in the morning.
However, there IS plenty of room for traditional things on this non-traditional journey, and it usually involves the kids.
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I don’t like speaking for other adults because, quite frankly, I don’t like other adults speaking for me. However, I am almost 1,000% sure that our children are the best things to ever happen to Christy, and I know with absolute certainty that they are the best things to ever happen to me.
I never thought I would be the dad that covers his notebooks and wrists with all of the artwork and trinkets that his child makes. For a period of time there, I thought I was going to have to go-go-gadget my arms to have enough room for all of the bracelets my son made me.
I mean, just this last week, I got to take my daughter to daycare all five days, which meant we got to play together every morning.
Last week, my son made his first real birdie and started burying penalty kicks into the corner. You know I experience life through the beauty and artistry of sports, so seeing these two things up close and personal made me so happy.
The father-son trips to Boston, Memphis, and New Orleans…
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But living the abk lifestyle I have chosen to live has its downfalls and trade offs. I decided to start an intentional second life. I grind at golf endlessly. I travel to off the beaten path places that interest me. My schedule is unique. I miss certain things. I am eternally grateful to Christy.
But…I do get to sneak in some really cool, really normal, really small HUGE experiences more than you might think.
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A few weeks ago, my son’s school finally opened lunch back up so that if parents wanted to join, they could. I take Mondays and Tuesdays off, so he asked if I would come eat with him at his school last Monday. I told him I would love to.
With his first year of school being in COVID times, I didn’t even know what the inside of his school looked like. His teacher could have smacked me in the face, and I wouldn’t have known who she was.
So to be invited to lunch, I was buzzing, as was he. As soon as we saw each other, we both lit up. His classmates basically asked if I was a giant, and then we got straight into the nitty gritty of cafeteria food. I hadn’t been in a cafeteria in eons, so I just let Banks direct me. Get this. Don’t get that. You have to get that.
We talked and laughed the entire 25 minutes, allowed by his teacher to picnic outside together. The 25 minutes felt like about two, and as quick as I was there, I was gone. I kissed him on the head and told him I’d see him soon.
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And as soon as I got in the car to leave, I decided I needed to go get a second lunch!
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Have a great week.-Benj
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