Hey Daddy! Everything is going great! I miss you!
That’s the text message I just got from Anna as I was sitting at my desk on a slow Monday morning here at the office.
She and her mom took off on Easter Sunday for Atlanta, Georgia. From there it’s off to New Orleans and eventually back here to Ohio. Along the way they’ll be scouting prospective colleges.
If I measure it in miles and I do my math right and Google maps is anywhere near accurate that’s close to 2,000 miles roundtrip. Sound like a lot doesn’t it?
Two thousand miles is like an inch when you compare it to a journey that began over seventeen years ago.
I guess the first thing that got me started spinning in circles was when her mom, my then wife, asked for a divorce. Anna was about six months old at the time and after much grinding and gnashing of teeth on my part, the divorce was finalized on October 21, 1995.
In a somewhat ironic or strange twist of fate, that day also marked her first birthday.
From there on I’m pretty sure I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. I’m also pretty sure I’ve done some good things too. Hopefully those outnumber the bad.Since then, there have been ballet recitals, school plays, countless soccer games and everything else that goes along with being a parent. I guess you could say that in a way, I’ve been spinning ever since.
Hopefully it’s been in the right direction.