WHEN NOSTALGIA MEETS THE PRESENT

The family took a voyage to the movie theater this past weekend. The family didn’t see anything filled with fright–no IT FOLLOWS for me, it’s not in a theater nearby.. Instead it was SPONGEBOB.. A sponge out of water. Funny parts, good laughs–though the ‘out of water’ business only took up the last 20 minutes or so of the movie, which was a disappointment. The real story here is that Ayden Morris, now 4, was at his first movie theater experience.

This was a big day for me–huge as a matter of fact.. It’s not the movie choice that mattered, but just that he wanted to attend a theater showing. And he loved it.. he was stunned a bit at how loud certain parts were, he cringed during the return to JURASSIC PARK trailer, and he heartily laughed at the humor of Spongebob. So did I, and my wife..

There was one more proud pappa moment for me, too.. After the film, we perused a much emptier mall than it ever was before. My local shopping sensation of yesteryear is suffering through the same downtown as many other brick and mortar shopping plazas.. But there’s a thrift shop–a place where old antiques and relics of yesterday are still bought and paid for by collectors and modern internet people. My son came across a bulk batch of HE-MAN action figures. He knew them since he plays with the few older broken ones I still possess. After today, we are adding three new (old) HE-MAN characters to the family, including HORDAK, who hasn’t been in my presence since 1990.

A full circle kind of day.. Beginning with drenching rain, dour as could be. But the light of family brightening the mood.. a modern movie in a cool theater with my 4-year-old eating up every moment.. and then a dad, at the age of 34, buying toys that I bought at the age of 4 in the same mall that I bought them in 20 years ago. So different in ways, but so similar in others.

Full circle.
Another moment of parenting..

The fleeting moments of today are gone tomorrow.. So forgive me for writing about it. But it’s my way of making amazing little things last just a little bit longer than the short span of time they inhabit..

Like this: