SICK DAYS

Being sick is never a picnic but when you’re kid it seems to be “worse”. There is lying around, whining, watching what you want to on TV and a bunch of other just awful endurances. That’s the way it is here in my house. One sick daughter, the Doctor said was the first case of the flu he had seen for the season. That’s my girl, always striving to be first. So what has she done today, you might ask? Absolutely nothing. Yesterday she did nothing and today she did nothing. Nothing is the word around our house. Well that isn’t exactly true, we did have a National Treasure Double Feature. Being sick is so bad when you are a kid. The things they will do to get out of school.

I remember when I was kid all the things I wished would happen so I would not have to go to school. There were all the snow days we prayed for during the winter. Then when it rained perhaps a magical flood would wash the school away. Maybe aliens would land or a giant, land walking monster catfish would climb out of East Fork creek to attack the school. But time after time, I would have my dreams crushed. I would even check my forehead every morning for the off chance I would have a fever and have to stay home.

Then along came a guy named Ferris Bueller and his shenanigans which all started because he faked an illness just to take a day off from school. The good times that followed were classic. He was in a parade, had dinner in a nice restaurant, picked up his girlfriend from school and attended ballgame. He was every guy’s hero. He did what we all wanted to do. Ferris was a leader, an icon for us all to aspire. Even when his best friend wrecked his dad’s classic car, it all seemed ok. Why couldn’t all of our “sick” days be like that?

However, today none of that occurred. My day began by making some French toast for our breakfast. Then as I just sat on my end of the couch attempting to work, my little girl ran a fever. While I read, she laid here with her head on my lap and together we watched Nicholas Cage discover two world changing treasures. From the perspective of my high school youth this day was not every exciting. It was certainly nothing to write home about. There were no fast cars, near encounters with the principal or a run in with my dad on the way to lunch.

Today, though, was a very memorable day. I spent it with my daughter who is a freshman in high school. We laughed and talked. I got to hug and “baby” her. We ate and just spent time together. As I look at both of my girls, one just got in from her first week of college, I think how the years have just flown by. They are becoming beautiful young women with big hearts and will change the world in which they live. But to me, their Daddy, they will both just be my little girls. So Ferris, your sick day was nothing compared to the one I got to spend with my little girl today.

I hope there are more “sick” days to come but I am afraid those also are slowly coming to an end.