Fireflies and Free Kicks. What the heck, right?
I live in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. In the summer, we get a lot of fireflies…and I mean A LOT! Back in June, I was sitting outside on our deck, and I looked at the trees that surround our yard. It looked like a Disney forest! I mean, seriously, like one of those floats from the Electric Light Parade (anybody remember that?)! Anyway, there were literally thousands of fireflies lighting up the area, and I started thinking about how well that represented my life. I’ve had lots of differing experiences (from jobs to travel and everything in between) that all kind of flit about in my head as memories. But every single one has shaped me and lit the way for where I am now; and I know that they will continue to lead me. The realization was both magical and inspiring.
So that’s the “Fireflies” part; what about the “Free Kicks?” Easy enough…my son plays elite soccer. In fact, he is a member of the Development Academy, which is the highest level of youth soccer in the country; it feeds directly into the Youth National Teams. As of right now, that is his goal. (Actually, given a recent announcement, his goal is to be on the MNT for the 2026 World Cup when it’s hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico). Our family time is spent at the soccer fields, whether it’s practice, league games or tournaments. And if it’s not watching him, then pro games are on the TV (yay for Dish Network, where we can get soccer from any country in the world, but still can’t get a lousy Oakland A’s baseball game). I promise not to bore with only soccer stuff, but it will be a pretty safe bet that many of posts will be created either at the pitch or traveling to a game somewhere!
So there you have it: “Fireflies and Free Kicks.”
