I met Jimmy and Liz a long time ago. Liz was my wife’s childhood friend, and when we’d go visit her family in Montana, I’d spend time hanging out with Liz’s husband Jimmy. He and I are both avid elk and waterfowl hunters, but we’ve never had the opportunity to chase critters across either of our own home states.
One of these days, we have both vowed we will do that. But first we have to do the things our busy lives require of us. One of those things happened 23 years ago last Saturday, when Jimmy and Liz came down to Cheyenne to attend my wife’s and my wedding. That day, Liz was standing on Amy’s side of the altar, but their daughter Jael was our flower girl.
Now, 23 years later, Amy and I went up to Montana and watched our former flower girl walk down the aisle to her own wedding on our anniversary. It’s funny how things tend to come back around in their own way. But it’s also funny how things can remind you that time is ticking by, and we’re not getting any younger.
I didn’t have as much time to catch up with Jimmy as I would have liked to have, but I get it. He was busy being the father of the bride, and I’m OK with that. We’ll just have to make sure we find some time to catch up in the near future. Maybe this fall. That’s the other thing about time – as it goes by, some of the things that keep us so busy in our younger years aren’t really an issue anymore. Jimmy’s kids are all grown up now, and my youngest just graduated from high school. There won’t be as many things competing for their share of my vacation time anymore, so I can burn some of those days on hunting trips.
Maybe I shouldn’t have been thinking all of that while I was sitting at the wedding, but that’s just how my mind works. Thanks, Jael, for reminding me it’s time to go hunting with your dad.
