Home for the Holidays - Second Day Better Than the First

I have developed a "Go With the Flow" attitude which I attempt to adopt into every corner of my life (renamed "Go With Flo" during a recent holiday with a good friend). I must tell you, everyone should adopt "Flo". She is a pretty good partner to have around no matter where in the world one finds themselves. The theme of my time off during this holiday season is to simply go with "Flo" and if today is any indication, Flo is a mighty fine holiday planner.

My day started with an early morning text that read "Just leaving ... I'll bring breakfast". Now if that isn't a perfect start to a day, what is?

The bearer of our breakfast meal was my Second Son. He was coming over to work on a role play assignment, with his Younger Brother. This was going to be a very good day ...

And it was.

I got to watch the creative process unfold as the two put their heads together to create the backdrop for this videotaped role play assignment. It was like watching a reenactment of their childhood. A car door was a required prop and when a spare car door didn't make its way into the day, massive amounts of cardboard made their way upstairs from my Youngest Son's room.

The props were pure improvisation. The script was followed with acting flourishes which (being on the inside loop), I fully appreciated. Last minute additions of a "drive along" had me in the back seat listening in on my Second Son ad-libbing his way along.

But the best part? Watching my two boys filming a small segment which would be dubbed into the final production (which had been filmed in our downstairs "movie studio"). This particular scene took place in my Youngest Son's car which is conveniently parked in front of our living room window.

I couldn't hear a thing. I could only watch their actions and facial expressions.

The scene was filmed, they stopped and watched the clip and they laughed. It took three takes. Each take resulted in smiles and laughter. The moment the camera was off, they were "on". Smiling, laughing and simply enjoying the process, the moment and each other.

I snapped a picture of the two of them in my head and quietly "photo-shopped" my Firstborn Son into the frame (he is presently holidaying somewhere near the equator). 2018 will officially be "The Year my Boys Became Brothers".

It started with Son One and Son Two taking on the West Coast Trail together (along with one girlfriend and an aunt to add more stories to the tale). Long story short, they survived. And so did their relationship.

Fast forward a few more weeks and it was the Family Reunion of Great Brother Bonding. My three boys did such a fine job bonding, they adopted a Fourth Brother to the mix. There are many fond memories that accompany this story but in the interest of brevity, I will simply say there was a new dimension added to the brotherhood of my three boys, who span twenty years age difference from youngest to oldest (my "adopted son" fit snugly right into the middle somewhere so he was obviously a good fit).

This Time of Great Bonding was enhanced by a decision made (quite possibly while "under the influence", but the act itself was carried out while all were stable and of sound mind) to go sky diving together.

I wasn't there to witness the event but there is ample video and photo footage available to prove it took place.

These events have been interspersed with communication between my three sons where I have not been the middle man. They are making plans among themselves and I hear about it afterwards or when I am invited to join.

My boys are becoming "brothers".

Coming from a family where my siblings mean the world to me, watching this bond very tenuously start to form warms my heart from the inside, out.

There are sixteen years between my oldest sister and my younger brother and our bond is strong, true, tried and tested. It is the real deal. My siblings are THE best gift Mom and Dad gave me.

It is a small wish, but if dreams were to make wishes come true ... this is truly the wish I would like to bestow upon my family of three (four, if we count my adopted son).

May this bond grow in time, may it develop an elasticity to adapt to the many changes over the years ahead and most of all, may they strive to strengthen that which is in its early stages.

There is truly no better gift than the way this day unfolded. I am grateful ...