The one where the children remind me how to smile
After enduring yet another horrible day at work where I figuratively bit my tongue, and buried all manner of bile and spite, I was kind of looking forward to going home. A few minutes before the end of the day the phone rang, I picked it up, and it was my other half.“Have you remembered it's Father's Day at Brownies tonight?”“Nope”My immediate thought was one of dread. After a succession of horrible days, here was yet another thing. Another evening gone. More “me” time erased from under my nose. I cycled home from workpassing Captain Slow along the way in hilarious road-runner styleand fell into the house in a cloud of sweat and stress.
When the kids found out I was coming to Brownies, all of my cares were instantly erased. Our middle girl ran up the stairs, shouting to whoever would listen;“DAD IS COMING TO BROWNIES! DAD IS COMING TO BROWNIES!“I couldn't help but smile.
The next two hoursspent stood in a field with a ramshackle collection of Dads, playing ridiculous games with the kidswas wonderful. It turned out to be exactly what I needed. I learned all about a game called “Sharks” involving a parachute, and discovered I'm actually quite good at dodgeball.
After arriving home, and reading bedtime stories with the children, I'm still sat here smiling. The evening is already gone, but it was a good evening. I kept away from the computer, the kids ran me ragged, and we all laughed more than we have in quite some time.