On special moments between parents and children

Leaving my house at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning wasn't the way I would have chosen to start my day. Being a dutiful daughter, I had accepted my father's invitation to join him at an out-of-town church service recognizing government officials, not because I wanted to go, but because my father wanted me to.

Allotting over two and one-half hours travel-time, we were surprised to find midway through our trip, we had miscalculated by almost an hour. Too far to turn back, there were nearly 60 minutes to piddle away. My father's first attempt to compensate was to decrease his driving speed, allowing him the opportunity to spot landmarks from his past. Looking for forgotten baseball fields from his youth and giving play-by-play accounts of games still vivid in his memory; we both enjoyed the glimpse of his adolescence.

Still considerably ahead of schedule and beyond the geographic boundaries for reminders of days gone by, he spotted another means to take up time. I'm never quite sure what historical piece of nostalgia my father will share throughout a trip, but I am always sure there will be one. Pulling along side of my daily history lesson, I was taken back by the impact it made. There we were, only a few yards from the place Abraham Lincoln lived as a boy. It was almost unfathomable to think I was looking at land where our 16th president had played and worked. With only a slight stretch of the imagination I could see the lanky youth wondering through the field. To coin a phrase from today's youth, it was awesome!

Finally at our destination, and only 10 minutes early, we joined the members of the congregation. One and one-half hours later, following a sermon that rekindled a passion that had been dormant, we were ready to head home; not, however, without having the perfect meal. The food was fabulous, the atmosphere lovely, and the setting was given just the right touch being able to see My Old Kentucky Home atop the nearest hill

Our return trip passed quickly as we recapped our morning. My father and I had spent an absolutely perfect day together, true quality time that we don't often get now that I have a family of my own.

It doesn't matter if we're four or 40, we need to make the most of the opportunities we have. Special times between a parent and child can be cherished memories from any age.