Easy, old man

My beautiful boy is growing up fast... and so am I.

It seemed like yesterday I was holding him in my arms, a tiny baby, completely reliant on us (well, mainly his mum to be fair). Today, we went down to the local skate park, with the J man (only 3 and a half) on his scooter and his dad (rapidly approaching 40) on his new cruiser skateboard. Jackson was awesome, crusing up the side of half pipes and avoiding the older children as they flew past. I looked at some of the skateboarders, moving effortlessly over ramps and up and down half pipes, their skateboards in complete control. Jackson was flying around.

Yes, the skateboard was not necessarily designed for a park, more for cruising down roads or cycle paths. Yes, the owner hadn't really been on a skateboard for about 25 years.
Yes, the said owner also has a dodgy back.
No, none of these things really were thought too much about before taking off from the top of the half pipe.

The landing was as comfortable as a landing can be on solid concrete. Jackson called out "You ok daddy?" I said yes, grabbed my board and returned to the side to watch him enjoy the park.

The park was saying 'easy, old man', and I listened. After a while I cruised around on the 'flats' for the rest of our time there, enjoying seeing Jackson getting higher and higher up the sides. It may be some time before I give the heights of the half pipe a go again!

Ah, the beginning of years of trying to keep up with my son.

I'm looking forward to it.