Mike Parker: An Evening Out with ‘The Old Guard’
Last Wednesday evening, I was blessed to eat dinner with three of my older grandchildren. Those of you who have read my column for years will remember that I have two sets of grandkids. The “Old Guard” are my first four: Courtney, Haley, Taylor, and Jaxen. The “Young Guns” are the last eight: Isaiah, Abby, Alex, Ben, Hannah, Laney, Alli, and Luke.
Courtney’s birthday is in January, so we celebrated her birthday months ago. Haley, Taylor, and Jaxen have birthdays that span a little more than a month – from March 9 through April 15. Given how busy the “Old Guard” has become in their adult lives, finding a date that worked for all of them was a challenge, indeed.
We settled on April 9 at Logan’s in Greenville. Since the Old Guard all live in the Greenville area, Sandra and I traveled to them instead of them traveling to us. Besides, for years, Logan’s has been the birthday meeting place for my Pitt County crew.
Haley brought her boyfriend Addison, a master’s graduate in archeology who is surveying roughly 1,000 acres for archeological significance in Virginia. Taylor brought her boyfriend Nathan, who does heat and air conditioning work.
Haley is currently enrolled in a master’s program for archeology, and Taylor works as a pharmacy technician. After several years in the working world, Jaxen returned to school to complete a four-year degree in industrial technology. He already has earned credentials in computer-assisted machining technology and welding.
So, five young people in their 20’s gave some of their time to spend with two old people – Sandra and me. We had a wonderful time together.
The time we spent together last Wednesday was much different from the time we spent together when they were just little kids. When they were growing up, my role was loving disciplinarian. I switched hats between teacher, storyteller, singer, jokester, cuddler, and tear-dryer. When Sandra and I planned events for them, we always sought things they would like – whether we enjoyed the activities or not. Our joy was seeing them doing things that brought them joy.
Wednesday evening was strangely different. My role as protector and disciplinarian no longer existed. We all interacted as adults, sharing our current activities and endeavors and using the time just to bask in each other’s presence. As we talked, they reminded me of the level of energy and enthusiasm I had at their age.
As Sandra and I were driving home after sharing this special meal together, I thought of the first part of Proverbs 17:6:
“Children’s children are the crown of old men; ….”
In Phil. 4:1 and I Thess 2:19, the Apostle Paul ties together the ideas of “joy” and “crown.” I think the proverb is using “crown” in the sense of a crowning achievement, not as a symbol of power and authority. This crown is the reward for running a good race or winning an athletic competition. Life is like a race. As I near the finish line, my true crown is the joy that my children and grandchildren bring to my life.
I am blessed, indeed.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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