My sister gave me a remote controlled steam train engine set for Grayson last week. It’s the same train set that Grayson has played with the past 2 years at holiday get togethers at our relative’s house. He absolutely loves it. Its been wrapped and in my trunk for the past week because the box was fairly large and I did not want Grayson to see it before Christmas. I thought about giving it to him last week but he knows Santa comes on Christmas and I didn’t want to spoil the surprise.
This morning, my sister Courtney shot me a text and asked me if I gave the train set to Grayson yet. I replied, “No, I wanted to wait until Christmas. Should I give it to him now?” She said, “Yes, that’s half the fun!” Needless to say, about ten minutes later, I snuck out to the car and put the box under the Christmas tree in our dining room. I thought about how to present the newly arrive gift to Grayson and then the light bulb went off. I pretended to answer my iPhone and said, “Hi Santa! Why yes Grayson did sleep in his own big boy bed last night for the ENTIRE night!” (Grayson in the background kept asking if that was Santa on the phone.)
I then proceeded to finish my conversation with Santa and I hung up the phone. I told Gray that Santa had mentioned that since he was a good boy last night there was a special present under the tree right now from him! He ran over and immediatly ripped the wrapping paper off the present and yelled, “A STEAM TRAIN!!!! Thank you Santa!” Honestly, that is probably one of the top 3 happiest moments I’ve ever been a part of and the happiest I have ever seen him. It was like he won the powerball or just pitched a no-hitter in the 7th game of the World Series.
It made me start to think about how hard it is sometimes, as an adult, to find things that make us happy. I’ve found myself on vacation or at the beach or relaxing in bed at 4am just overthinking EVERYTHING and anything. Here this kid doesn’t have a care in the world and the SMALLEST things like a toy train, a trip to Skyzone or a “white frosted donut with none of the sprinkles” from Dunkin Donuts just makes his whole world go round.
It really made me start to think that many of us, including me, need to appreciate the little things a WHOLE LOT MORE. We take SO much for granted. I take so much for granted. EVERY Day is a gift on this planet and we lose sight of that more often than not. We’re just guests here and we need to stop every now and then and just take it all in and really appreciate the little things that are the equivalent of Grayson’s new steam train. Pretty much Everything. Anything. Everywhere. Then again I’m just a single parent sitting in my pajamas watching my son play with trains in train pajamas while watching Thomas The Train Videos on the iPad at the same time…what do I know.
Joni Mitchell said it best: “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone?” #Truth
Checkout some Video Here of the youngest train conductor EVER:
About the author: Christopher Line is a 38 year old single father of an amazing 4 year old by the name Grayson. He currently works and resides in the beautiful town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He began writing his blog, “Dadastrophic: “Tales of a Hot Mess Dad” several months before Grayson was born. Chris spent many years as a radio DJ for 95.1 WZZO, 104.1 B104, Cat Country 96, and 100.7 WLEV.
He began acting at the age of 16 and was managed by famed talent manager, Lois Miller, who was responsible for launching the careers of Christine Taylor (Brady Bunch, Hey Dude, Dodgeball), and Jamie Lynn Sigler (Meadow Soprano in Sopranos on HBO). In 2001, he was a Vee Jay for MTV2 and in 2003 hosted an MTV gameshow, “Into The Cube”. Also in 2003, he got his big break and was cast in famed director Richard Linklater’s “The School of Rock“, a Paramount Picture. Yes, that’s him who announces that “NO VACANCY” wins the battle of the bands as Jack Black and the kids hate his guts…you’re welcome!
Originally published at medium.com