never doubt what you mean to people

We are at a softball tournament this weekend in the ATL. Our daughter's team won all three games and ended up taking first place. There was some amazing ball playing going on. Strong teams which were not easy to take down. Our team hung in there and stayed the course.

Seeing the happy faces on their faces sort of made my eyes

all stingy and leaky.

So, here we are, getting the girls together for a team picture with the lovely 1st place trophy and I look beside me and there is my cousin! 

Elation!  Joy! 

This is the son of my father's only brother. The one who reminds me so much of my sweet Daddy. All I could do was hug his broad shoulders as hard as I could.

There are no coincidences in this world.

We talked about his new college freshman son, who is loving school! So much so that I think they may have to remind him to call home. We talked about our kids, their sports teams, and how it is that he happened to be walking by. His daughter was watching a football game on the field next to the softball field.

 

 "I normally go a different way,

but I decided to come this way today for some reason."

Later I thought about it:

• How much I sorely miss my dad and wished he could be enjoying these games, sitting beside me, cheering on his grandchildren.
• How nice it was to, out of the blue, in an unfamiliar setting, hug the neck of someone whose genes I share.

Someone who shares some of the same memories that I do about summers at the lake; horseshoes hitting the dust; baseball with the uncles; playing Rook until late at night by the light of lanterns.  A man whose bright, shiny brown eyes, genuine smile, and gentle disposition remind me so much of the wonderful man who I missed so much.

I kind of doubt my cousin will ever realize how he brightened my world and helped reassure me that Daddy's never that far away. When I say my prayers, you can bet your last dollar that I will offer prayers of praise and thanksgiving for so much today.

Tangible things like a hard earned trophy,
and intangibles like being in the right place at the right time, and
the wonderful love of a Father.