watch out!

It was the last day of school.  The weather was hot, and my children were anticipating summer vacation. It was time for the fun to begin.  I filled water balloons, loaded them into a bucket and headed up the sidewalk toward the elementary school. When the first child came into view, I launched my attack. Shrieks of surprise soon changed to shrieks of glee as each child changed sides and joined me in my wet attack. Four children later the balloons had all been deployed.  A few had been redirected at me.  Wet and happy, the five of us returned home. Summer vacation had begun.

One year later as the school year came to its close, my children wanted assurance that there would be no water balloons this year.  I was happy to promise, “No water balloons.” 

I bought squirt guns.

Those memories linger on for all of us. My children are adults now. There is a refrain that always brings a smile to each face.  “Watch out for the last day of school.”

Sometimes little things create the memories that last the longest. So I need to focus on how to capture each present moment and live it with joy. All the wishing I might do will not allow me to go back and do something different or recreate a past moment. Living well in the present well will create memories for the future.