Wednesday, October 23, 2024
It's hardly the big moments, but the small ones that define us. The effort made. The desire to make something happen.
Yesterday, my daughter (who turns 5 today) went on a field trip as part of her pre k-4 class. This, her second trip with her first ever trip, just two weeks ago. This time I volunteered to be a chaperone.
The school bus driver was to arrive at a place called 'Pickin Patch,' for a day of pumpkin picking, by 10am. Promptly followed by a hay ride. I arrived at 9:15 and I sat outside, just waiting and observing. "Where is this bus?" I asked myself at 10:04. Looking left, right and behind i see no bus. Off
in the distance however, I see a tractor, followed by two wagons towing hay and a class full of kids. Immediately, I jumped up and spotted my daughter from about 1/4 mile away, and the
distance increasing.
Next, I asked an employee on the farm if I can get to where the class was headed and she replied with, "you can't." -No way I cant. At this point the tractor is 1/2 mile away. "This is my dauthers 2nd field trip and my first ever as shaperone," I tell the employee. So, I bolted at full speed towards the tractor.
Many of you may have picked up mentions about my struggle with my back. Yet, I ran as if I didn't have any and as if my daughter had been taken. Sure, it would have been easy to say, "oh well. They're too far at this point, I’ll just wait for them here." But, that's what procrastination does. It helps give us bullshit reasons, excuses and alibies for not trying
to do something.
Farm land that is used for harvesting any crop, is not designed for running on. The soil is not level. Yet that did not matter to me. With each passing stride and each imprint left on the dirt, my back reminded me, "hey, not a good idea." The hay ride did also, I however, was not about
To miss this moment with my little girl.
That's just it - procrastination isn't just about delay or postpoining. It's also letting unjustified reasons or theories stand in place for what you want. Allowing the tractor a 1/2 mile away and counting, decide for me what my next move would have been.
I made it close enough to the tractor to wave my hands and the driver stopped. My daughter, full of glee, greeted me with a huge smile and a loud and joyful, "daddy." To miss this, to sit this one out? Fuck that. There is no way i wouldn't pursue that tractor. And i'd do it again tomorrow.