Living Outside the Box

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE is in his early sixties, and he has two young sons, about ten and twelve years of age. He and his boys are going through a period of life, the pre-adolescent phase I think its called, in child raising, which most fathers usually go through twenty or twenty five years earlier in life. By the time one is in one's early sixties one is most usually helping raise grandchildren, and is long finished raising one's own children. My friend takes both boys to soccer practice, throws batting practice for them, does all the things a man usually has stored in his memory as he reaches retirement age. He says the boys wear him to a frazzle, and he has sore muscles he didn't even know were muscles, but its all worth the pain and suffering, and humiliation. My friend simply married late in life, and started his family late in life. He may not live long enough to ever have much to do with his grandchildren, but somehow you just feel that he does not regret that, doesn't even think about it much. There are times when you admire people who do not engage in activities at an appropiate, predictable, conventional age. The elderly person hiking up a mountain, or learing a new language, or taking classes in college. The young child who is an accomplished piano player, or reads above his grade level, or is interested in art and music rather than video games. Anything inappropiate, anything outside the box, off the well traveled trail. Here's to all the good folks who refuse to follow the herd, refuse to live in the comfort zone, those who care nothing for convention, and who pursue life with a passionate anything can be done attitude. That's the true American spirit, and for that matter, the true human spirit. The spirit of adventure, of fearlessly knowing that you are right, then going ahead. To all those who live outside the box; congratulations!