By Jim Hagarty
2016
The other day I was struggling to tie up my skates. Struggling to see my skates at the end of my feet. Someone sneaked a basketball under my sweater somewhere along the line and bending over like that is rough.
So I asked my son Chris to help me. And there I sat, while he did the best job of tying my skates anyone has done since my Dad used to tie them. In fact, I have never had on skates that fit so well and snugly.
It was a bit of an unreal experience, looking down at my feet while the lad whose skates I had tied up maybe several hundreds of times in days gone by tied mine. What a reversal of roles, a phenomenon I expect will develop into a trend as time goes by.
Before every one of his hockey games over the years, until parents were kicked out of the dressing rooms, I tied up his skates as well as I could. Did a bang up job, in fact. But he let me in on a secret while he tied mine the other day. Before the start of every game, the coach would call him over and tie his skates all over again.
That seems to be the way of life. Dad does his best, then the qualified mentors out there take over.
People say we did a good job of raising our kids. Yes we did. My wife and I and a couple hundred helpers out there in the community, starting with their own extended families. We are so grateful they are there. And always will be.
