Memorial Day Parade:
We have gone from the little girl two years ago who panicked at the sound of the fire truck sirens, to a little girl last year who was enthralled by the passing pageantry, to the little girl this year who dove headlong into the street for candy.
The American rites of maturation are right on schedule.
Sit and listen
This same little girl who rips into meat with such ferocity is also the same little girl who will stop me as I’m pushing her in her stroller, saying, “Daddy. Daddy, stop!”
We stop.
“What are we stopping for?”, I ask.
“To listen.”
We hear the breeze in the trees, birds, some buzzing insects somewhere.
“It’s so quiet,” she says.
We listen.
“It is,” I say.
We stand there for maybe a minute.
I’m feeling the urge to move on toward home.
She is content to sit and listen for a while longer.
Re-parenting real talk:
Yesterday was the first time I actually felt jealous of younger parents, that they will probably get to spend 20 more years with their adult kids than I will get to spend with Lightning Bug.
“MOVE, BIRDS, MOVE!”
One of my favorite parts of following Lighting Bug as she learns to ride a balance bike is listening to her yell:
“MOVE, BIRDS, MOVE!”
“LOOK OUT, SQUIRRELS!”
(and my favorite)
“OUT OF THE WAY, ROBINS!!”
27
MAY
2025
MAY
2025
About the Author:
Eric Coble is a Tony-, Pulitzer- and Emmy-nominated playwright who lives in Cleveland. After raising two children to adulthood he and his wife are now raising toddler "Lightning Bug”. His stories are all true.