Stop this train

As the holidays are upon us, I take this time to reflect about life in general. Anyone who knows me, knows that I usually don't get too amped up about anything other than my kids, family and sports. Everything else is just a side dish. But during the holidays and because for the past three years of my life I've been wrapped up in daddy duty, random thoughts have crept in my head that I figured I'd share.

Probably the coolest thing I've ever done was become a dad. It puts everything into perspective. As long as my kids are happy and healthy, that's all that really matters to me. Coming home from work and seeing Kayla at the top of the stairs or Jordan's face when she sees me is the best part of the day.

As a music fan, I listen to just about everything but country and classical. One of the albums that caught me by surprise this year was John Mayer's Continuum. He has a song on the album called Stop This Train and it's gotten me thinking...

No, I'm not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind
But I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

Basically, he's saying here, he knows how the world works. He's old enough to figure it out by now. However, he's starting to realize that life is moving fast and he wants to slow it down a bit. I agree, time is flying by. He continues:

Don't know how else to say it
Don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

I agree with him here as well. You think that your parents will always be there for you. I think about that in terms of my own kids. I'd like to think that I'll always be there for them. However, there will come a day when they must go out on their own and discover the wonders of life without being under my and my wifes wing.

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to say that life has just begun

Another four line gem. Yea, I know I'm getting older, but I really don't feel like I'm getting old. Yea, I could afford to shed some pounds, get healthier, etc. But I really don't feel like I'm old or going to get old any time soon. My way of finding that life has just begun is realizing that I know that I don't know everything. For the most part, while I'm not under my parents wings, I'm still learning things - as a dad, as a husband, as a brother, as a friend, as a professional, as a all round good guy (or so I'm told). The old thing only comes into play when people at work talk about their weekends, going out drinking, partying, etc. I'm all set with that. A night home with the wife and kids is all the entertainment I need (and maybe a Celtics or Pats game sprinkled in).

He finishes off the song about talking to his dad and his dad telling him that when he turned 68 he renegotiated, i.e. you know that life can't stop, so you just ride the train.

That's what I'm doing. Riding the train, knowing it can't stop. The trick is just to be sure to enjoy the scenery as things pass by.

As a special bonus, happy holidays. Pics below were taken by my wife, processed by me - truly a collaborative effort.

Mrs. Claus


Mrs. Little Claus