The Cheering Tunnel

It seems to be feast or famine with me and this blog. No posts for weeks; and, now, back to back blogging.

I just had to write about Collin's last day of preschool. They went today until 11:30 even though parties and everything were yesterday.

Again, Collin saw fit to dress for the occasion...kind of. He went to school in full soccer gear -- jersey, shorts, socks and shin guards. Yesterday, he decided that he needed to be a soccer player on his last day of school, but I wish I could figure out how he comes to these conclusions. I mean how does he determine if it is a Batman day or Darth Vader day, Indian day or Cowboy day, soccer player or...? Well, you get my point.

His teachers love him and I fully enjoy watching their expressions as they open the car door each morning to see what he will look like.

But, my purpose in writing is that I had a VERY emotional moment when I picked him up. I was a few cars back and noticed that one of the teachers what doing sort of a cheer as each child came down the ramp to his/her car. But, as I got closer I realized that all 6 teachers had formed sort of a cheering tunnel like you see parents make at the end of soccer games. As the child was called to come to the car, he ran through the tunnel of cheering teachers -- all smiles of course.

I was not expecting that AT ALL, and I couldn't get a grip. It hit me that it really doesn't seem that long ago that Caleb ended his first year of preschool and now he's...practically grown! But, their actions also spoke a profound message to me.

We don't celebrate accomplishments enough!!!

While I realized that this was the end of Collin's first year of preschool, I was moving in auto pilot. We were going to high five, get his favorite lunch and talk about our summer together. But, his teachers made me stop in my tracks and realize that a celebration was truly in order.

It would be nice if life gave us a cheering tunnel for all of our accomplishments -- big or small. We start out that way as babies. We got applause for sitting, standing, walking, talking, etc. Then, somewhere along the way, we begin to expect accomplishment from ourselves and those around us. So, we take them for granted and move on.

Not so at First Baptist today. Those children were treated like super stars. And, that's exactly what they are.

Now, I just wonder if Collin was given a "heads up". Maybe THAT is why he chose to be a soccer player today. He was certainly the only one appropriately dressed to run through a cheering tunnel.