Susan and I took Mason and Morgan to a birthday party at the local bowling alley yesterday. The kids, all five and under, took up lanes one through four. I had a headache even before entering, so Susan and I agreed that she would be on “Mason duty” while I held Morgan. Most of the loud action seemed to be taking place on lanes one and two, so I moved over to lane four and sat there with Morgan tossed over my shoulder, where she quickly fell asleep despite the whooping of children and the crack of bowling pins being smacked.

On lanes five and six, directly behind me, were a group of five or six teenagers. Each kid in the group reminded me of friends of mine from when I was that age. There was a blond haired kid that looked like Andy, a curly-haired kid with glasses that looked like Stephen, a kid with a skinny beard liike Scott’s, a tall, lanky kid that reminded me of Jeff, and another kid that reminded my of myself. All the boys bowled on lane five; on lane six were two girls who sat watching the boys and giggling. The boys, oblivious to the onlookers, were complete goofs. One kid did a little dance each time he got a strike. Another one kept smacking the other ones in the back of the head everytime he’d walk up behind them.

I sat there with Morgan draped over my shoulder, watching those kids have a good time. Inside I felt like I should over over there with them, over with the teens with no responsibilities, just having a good time. Occasionally I’d hear one of them say something and I’d think of a witty comeback, but I wouldn’t say it out loud. I just sat there, quietly, watching them have a good time as I held Morgan.

I don’t know why it hit me that way, but it did. I guess they just reminded me of the days before kids, careers, car payments and home insurance.