Before we get into today’s article, our Podcast is kicking off again. Late last year, Benny A interviewed George Vlachos, the man behind our volunteer app, and the author of The Loneliest City That Shouldn’t Be.
George’s optimism and passion is infectious, and this one is well worth a listen.
I was in tears
It was my son’s first day of school on Monday.
The more I reflect on it, the more teary-eyed I get. It’s the end of an era, my boy will never be the little kid I’ve only ever known him to be.
I find myself fast forwarding to his wedding day… for some reason, into a big fun Italian Family… and in my imagination, while he’s getting ready for the ceremony, I pull him aside to chat.
I want my speech on the night to be about him and his partner, but I want to make sure he knows how I feel… that I feel so lucky to have been there for all of his big moments, and that I want to be there for so many more… but that today, I’m just so happy to be here.
I don’t know whether it’s because of the moments my Dad or Mum never got to experience, or maybe it’s because of the ones they did get to… it’s just where my mind goes.
And while Monday marks the end of one chapter, it’s the start of a new one… and the same reasons I loved that journey from 0-5 years old, will be the same reasons I’ll love this next one.
Nothing good lasts forever, and that’s not a morbid reminder. It’s a reminder that we need to lean into what we have now, not trying to hang onto the past, and not trying to always prepare for the future.
Life goes in phases
It’s funny when life lessons come along, because it always seems there’s a lesson for R4R too.
We’ve been going for nearly 7 years now and we’ve had our milestones, but it really feels like we’re getting rolling now, more than ever… and as I say that, I find it important to remember the things that make R4R special, that we don’t want to lose.
I don’t want my boy to lose his kindness, his Crocodile-Dundee-like desire to say hello to everyone he walks past, his imagination that captures his attention to the point of not hearing a word I’m saying, while he stares off into space.
I don’t want R4R to lose it’s welcoming environment… it’s embracing of initiatives led by people in our community… the underpinning understanding that everyone’s story is unique, but that we’re all united by overcoming struggle…. and so much more.
Yes we’ll evolve… we’ll grow up…
We will need more defined systems as we grow, and each layer we add needs to be purposeful, to help us become better as we get bigger… striking a balance of knowing who we are and who we want to be at all costs… and also, who we need to be to achieve our goal.
But at the end of the day, the same reasons we’ve loved the journey so far, need to be the same reasons we love the journey from here.
R4R makes a difference. R4R saves lives… but most importantly… R4R is fun.
What a ride.
Hoo-bloody-roo.
Being a dad is the best job in the world! Much love to your family Matt and to more memories with the boy.