Everyone notices how much my son, Ryan, is like his dad, Chris. And in many ways he is. He’s that logical thinker, thoughtful, and just plain likable. Something I also notice about him (and Chris as well) is that he really doesn’t have much drama in his life. Or at least, none that I can see! He lives very full days, committed to many activities that he really seems to enjoy. He rarely complains. When he does things, he does them well. I tell folks how he inspires me. He really does.

I remember when he was a young boy I’d sneak a peek in his room and right there amongst his Legos and action figures, I’d see him just lying in the middle of it all. And he would be doing absolutely nothing, just kind of staring up at the ceiling, thinking. I would try not to bother him because it was his time to just “be”. I love having that image of him in my mind because it tells me that somehow he’s figured out that in the middle of a busy life, you just have to make the time to stop and pause.

He’s a junior now, and anyone with a high school junior knows it’s their “toughest” year. In that one year, there was a huge shift in activity and independence (thanks to driving) and his internal clock shifted as he stays up late into the wee hours of the morning. And sometimes in those random moments of the day, I’ll sneak a peak in his room, and I’ll find him lying on his bed. Granted, most of the time, he’s sleeping. But I still have caught him staring up at the ceiling. I tease that he must be contemplating his navel. But I know better. Somehow he’s listening to that voice that just says, “stop and pause”.