Sunday, March 23, 2008
Easter Morning
Easter morning starts early in the Cauthorn household. My oldest son set his alarm for 6AM this morning. I do not have a problem with this.
Easter is not only important for its religious significance, it also gives children a sense of culture and tradition and in our house hold, tradition is valued.
I have many vivid memories the traditions set up by my parents. Every Easter morning my brother and I would search for hidden eggs. I remember once finding a "golden" egg at a friends home and winning a green chick. I have fine memory about one particular Easter morning, when I was too old to be looking for eggs.
My brother and I were in our underwear, tired but still full of excitement. We were up earlier than normal anticipating an Easter Egg Hunt. Our parents are exceptional. They have increased the difficultly of the Easter Egg Hunt every year, this year was going to be monumental. "We hid the eggs in the backyard this year." my mother told us. We grabbed our pink baskets and sauntered outside to look. At first we acted like we were too cool to be looking for eggs. My brother and I only half heartily looked for the eggs.
After a few minutes we are shut out. Neither of us had found anything. It was when we saw our parents looking at us from the back door that the intensity started to grow. We began looking under rocks, in trees, in pots, in leave piles. As time started to pass, I began climbing trees. My brother and I were getting more and more urgent as our parents smiled for the side lines.
At one point my father started to give hints, "Your getting warmer, warmer, colder...". My brother and I were now rushing around the backyard turning with each clue.
At one point I was climbing a tree reaching for a branch that I thought somehow my dad could have hidden an egg on. He had just told me warmer so I was reaching for an even further branch when I saw it. It was an egg but it was not on the branch, it was in the front yard. In fact, now that I was looking, there were quite a few eggs in the front yard.
In the next moment, my brother and I are rushing to the front yard in our underwear to gather the poorly hidden eggs as my parent howled with laughter. Several cars passed as family's with different traditions went to church.
When the last egg was found, my brother and I knew we had found the last Easter Egg to be hidden for us. Our tradition would now have to continue with kids.
I hid our Easter Eggs this year pretty well. I placed some in games, under rugs, in the lamps but none outside. I am saving that one for later.
Easter is not only important for its religious significance, it also gives children a sense of culture and tradition and in our house hold, tradition is valued.
I have many vivid memories the traditions set up by my parents. Every Easter morning my brother and I would search for hidden eggs. I remember once finding a "golden" egg at a friends home and winning a green chick. I have fine memory about one particular Easter morning, when I was too old to be looking for eggs.
My brother and I were in our underwear, tired but still full of excitement. We were up earlier than normal anticipating an Easter Egg Hunt. Our parents are exceptional. They have increased the difficultly of the Easter Egg Hunt every year, this year was going to be monumental. "We hid the eggs in the backyard this year." my mother told us. We grabbed our pink baskets and sauntered outside to look. At first we acted like we were too cool to be looking for eggs. My brother and I only half heartily looked for the eggs.
After a few minutes we are shut out. Neither of us had found anything. It was when we saw our parents looking at us from the back door that the intensity started to grow. We began looking under rocks, in trees, in pots, in leave piles. As time started to pass, I began climbing trees. My brother and I were getting more and more urgent as our parents smiled for the side lines.
At one point my father started to give hints, "Your getting warmer, warmer, colder...". My brother and I were now rushing around the backyard turning with each clue.
At one point I was climbing a tree reaching for a branch that I thought somehow my dad could have hidden an egg on. He had just told me warmer so I was reaching for an even further branch when I saw it. It was an egg but it was not on the branch, it was in the front yard. In fact, now that I was looking, there were quite a few eggs in the front yard.
In the next moment, my brother and I are rushing to the front yard in our underwear to gather the poorly hidden eggs as my parent howled with laughter. Several cars passed as family's with different traditions went to church.
When the last egg was found, my brother and I knew we had found the last Easter Egg to be hidden for us. Our tradition would now have to continue with kids.
I hid our Easter Eggs this year pretty well. I placed some in games, under rugs, in the lamps but none outside. I am saving that one for later.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A New Commitment
Some people, when they talk about something feel they are committed. Not me. Some people when they start something they feel they must complete it. Not me. I hold myself to a different standard.
I have talked about it in public, I have visualized it when running, but now I have actually committed myself to it. I have signed up, and paid, to do the Turtleman Triathlon. The fact that I have put money down means this will happen.
Wish me luck!
I have talked about it in public, I have visualized it when running, but now I have actually committed myself to it. I have signed up, and paid, to do the Turtleman Triathlon. The fact that I have put money down means this will happen.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Year End Letter
Here is the letter I wrote to the boy’s swim team:
Boys
I was given a complement the other day from a swimming parent. They thanked me for being their son’s coach and said they could tell I was dedicated and passionate about swimming. This complement touched me because I am devoted to swimming and coaching. I was moved by that acknowledgement. And, as I thought about it some more, I came to the realization that our entire coaching staff is enthusiastically devoted to you and this sport. How great is that?
Where does this commitment come from? It comes from a group of athletes who have made similar commitments. It comes from a group of athletes that, throughout the season, have shown that working hard to accomplish a goal is a privilege. It comes from a group of athletes that know our team is more than a sum of its parts.
As this season progressed, so did your ability as swimmers and divers. If you stay active you will continue to improve. The beginning of the high school season is nine months away. Some of you will continue to swim and start next season faster than you are now.
In closing, I would like to thank you for giving me something to be passionate about. You have helped make this tremendously successful season possible.
Coach C
What I tried to convey to the boys was that my dedication and passion stems from what they have given to the team.
Boys
I was given a complement the other day from a swimming parent. They thanked me for being their son’s coach and said they could tell I was dedicated and passionate about swimming. This complement touched me because I am devoted to swimming and coaching. I was moved by that acknowledgement. And, as I thought about it some more, I came to the realization that our entire coaching staff is enthusiastically devoted to you and this sport. How great is that?
Where does this commitment come from? It comes from a group of athletes who have made similar commitments. It comes from a group of athletes that, throughout the season, have shown that working hard to accomplish a goal is a privilege. It comes from a group of athletes that know our team is more than a sum of its parts.
As this season progressed, so did your ability as swimmers and divers. If you stay active you will continue to improve. The beginning of the high school season is nine months away. Some of you will continue to swim and start next season faster than you are now.
In closing, I would like to thank you for giving me something to be passionate about. You have helped make this tremendously successful season possible.
Coach C
What I tried to convey to the boys was that my dedication and passion stems from what they have given to the team.
Begin Again
Let's try this again.
