On Saturday, January 14th, my oldest son Isaiah and I took part in the Oklahoma City Metro Chapter of the Oklahoma State Univeristy Alumni Associations Cowboys for a Cause event. The area chapter elected to support the Special Olympics of Oklahoma's bowling championships. It was my first time to volunteer with the chapter and, in hindsight, I regret not having participated in previous years!
I was planning to volunteer by myself but, the night before, I asked Isaiah if he'd like to go with me. To our surprise, he said "yes!" I was so excited to see his desire to get up and about and go with me but it also introduced some doubt... he's not a morning person at all and being introduced to and interacting with strangers is not necessarily his thing.
The alarm went off early the morning of the event and there he was. He was eager to go and hang out with me for the day. I had to prod him a bit to be on time with a totally unhealthy breakfast but we made it to the bowling alley and he dutifully followed me inside to the volunteer registration area. For the next three hours, he stayed by my side, cheering on the athletes and serving as my deputy score keeper. I couldn't have been prouder of his demeanor and willingness to take part.
That morning was important for us. Isaiah conquered his own doubts and insecurities by meeting strangers and chatting with some of his dad's old friends. He mustered his courage and held a conversation with Dr. Ann Caine, our new president for the Association. It was my first time to meet her too so I could't prep the conversation with some "did you know's?" I even noticed him wandering over to Pistol Pete and sneaking a high-five.
Isaiah is a special olympics athlete. He will be competing in May at the state games in Stillwater. He was excited to do that even before the day of volunteering but he left the event even more excited about competing with others and taking part in the Special Olympics experience.
Milestone events like our experience a couple of weekends back are important. In the not-too-distant future, Isaiah will leave our home and start his walk of independence. I truly appreciate the Alumni Association for letting us take part and am joyful for experiences like this with my children. Parenting introduces what feels like way too many setbacks but when the positive experiences come, they are worthy of celebration.
This week, it's my hope that you will experience a moment of togetherness and a sense of accomplishment in the presence of a loved one.
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