Monday, February 16, 2009

The Beginning of It

So we stood there along the finish line, cheering and clapping and shouting and laughing. My shouting drew looks from the otherwise silent crowd. But I just shouted louder and my throat began to hurt and my brother began to harass me and my wife began to cover her ears from the pitch of my whistles.

In short, this was a Group W bench moment. I mean... if we weren't having so much fun and if the sun finally shining down on us didn't feel so good, they might have all moved away from me. But they didn't move away, and we just laughed and clapped and shouted.

My brother looked at Trudy and me and said, "I miss Ben."

He wasn't with us, and this was the kind of moment he would have shared with us. A moment to laugh and make fun. A moment to soak in the sun and cheer for others. He would have been here with us laughing and clapping and shouting and poking fun at his dad.

"I miss Ben," my brother said again. "He should be here."

Trudy and I looked at each other. We didn't need to say anything. This was only the beginning of it.

---
At the Austin Marathon with Ben away visiting a prospective college.


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