The permanent stuff

Posted: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 by Travis Cody in
10

My bed time changed when I was 8 years old, from 20:30 to 21:30.  Part of that was because I was playing football and Mom wanted me to have time for homework and a little more down time in the evenings with the family.

And when I was 8 years old, I had to start taking out the garbage.

When I was 11 years old, my folks got divorced and it was just me and my mom and my 6 year old sister.  I was still playing football and my bed time was 22:00.

And when I was 11 years old, I still had to take out the garbage.  I also had to empty the dishwasher, and run the vacuum once a week, and a few other chores.  And I had to pick up my sister after school every day and take her to football practice with me.  Mom picked us both up after practice. 

When there was no football, I just picked my sister up from school and we both walked home together.  Latch key kids, we were.

I don't know why I thought about that last night.  It's a good memory.  My sis and I had our differences, every once in awhile.  We had chores and we had curfew.  We didn't have a lot of cash, but we had enough allowance.  We could yell at each other and slam doors and hide stuff from each other.

But none of that was permanent.  That was just being siblings.

The permanent stuff...the real stuff...that was every day when she ran out of her class with a big grin and traded her little book bag for my helmet so she could wear it while we walked to the practice field.

The permanent stuff...the real stuff...that was when I could hear her yelling "Go Trav" whenever I did something.

The permanent stuff...the real stuff...that was when she lugged my pads out to the car when Mom got there to drive us home.

The permanent stuff...the real stuff...that was knowing she was always in the stands yelling for me, and when she knew I was in the stands yelling for her.

The permanent stuff...the real stuff...that was when I waltzed with my sister at her wedding, and when I got my first look at the little person she made a few years later.

Nope...I can't tell you why I thought about that stuff last night.  But I'm glad I did.


Reason 51:  Because of the permanent stuff.


10 comments:

  1. Akelamalu says:
    14 September, 2011 03:01

    Oh Trav what a lovely post, it brought tears to my eyes, I'm glad you thought of it too! The permanent stuff is what really matters. :)

  1. Anonymous says:
    14 September, 2011 05:19

    I like reason # 51 as much as I liked reason #52. What a wonderful post! I hope your sis reads it, too.

  1. Charles Gramlich says:
    14 September, 2011 06:03

    Wonderful post. I love this. I didn't have a sibling close enough to do this sort of thing with but it's nice to imagine for me.

  1. Mike Golch says:
    14 September, 2011 10:36

    thanks for sharing this with us.let's hope that my comment will post this time.

  1. John Holland says:
    14 September, 2011 20:46

    The permanent stuff is the true stuff. A wonderful post.

  1. j says:
    15 September, 2011 06:58

    Love this Travis. Love.

    I didn't have a sibling relationship like that but sometimes, I get this wonderful glimpse of the "real stuff" from my kids. Hearing them say, "I love you" to each other squeezes my heart. It lets me know that I don't have to be in this world for their entire lives so that they will always know they are loved - they will have each other.

  1. Vinny "Bond" Marini says:
    15 September, 2011 09:40

    I L-O-V-E This post Travis

    Well done Sir

  1. Desert Songbird says:
    15 September, 2011 15:10

    Awww, dang it, Trav! You made me cry with this post. This reminds me of my kids.

  1. Julie says:
    03 November, 2011 21:04

    I miss you! I came here to find something for my peace post and now you have me smiling....and crying.

    **hugs**

  1. Mimi Lenox says:
    08 April, 2012 20:21

    Somehow I missed this post last year. I'm crying along with Julie now.

Post a Comment