I can’t believe that my nephew is a senior in high school. Until recently, and not until I rode with him in his vehicle, he was still my little Jordo. He has no idea what he’s added to my life. Since I chose not to have children he and my niece are my kids. Well, they have always been the kind of kids that I could return when I inevitably had my fill. For you parents out there, kudos. I don’t think that I was built for it.

On Friday I went to my first high school football game since I graduated high school. It was, as any good story would have it, a beautifully perfect day. I proudly joined members of my family to support our quints section leader. With a newly minted nickname, no mercy spared in our showing him how much we love him by wearing matching custom t-shirts and yelling out, “We love you, [insert nickname here].” Yeh, I’ll spare him more public humiliation.

I sat in the stands with my husband to my left immediate family members to my right and thought about how I was in a similar place over twenty years ago. Different school, different year, but now with a remembrance that made the memories so much sweeter and cherished. I’ve been guilty of sometimes not savoring the moment as it happens, not appreciating how wonderful it is. The rare occasions where I have given in to the moment, well a notable one, those memories are now tainted and the bliss was one-sided.

It was very small-town Americana, the smells of freshly cut grass, people talking, laughing, cheering for the teams. At moments I looked over at my nephew and thought, I really hope that he’s taking it all in, that he’s living in the moment because in an instant it’s gone. I loved high school. You could say that I sucked the marrow out of it. All that’s to say, enjoy the moment, cherish the memory and don’t take any of it for granted.