Full Circle at the Town Gazebo

So often we let little frustrations get to us – being stuck in traffic, a cold, rainy day, the empty milk container. But once in a while a moment comes that gives a breathtaking, bird’s eye view of our lives. It makes us grateful, even feel blessed. This happened to me recently when I had dinner with my mom at Centro, a favorite Italian eatery in Fairfield, Connecticut.

We shared a Margherita pizza and while we dined, watched a band set up outside next door on the town’s gazebo. My husband Randy and son Patrick were part of this nine-piece ensemble that included three great female singers. From inside the restaurant, we saw Randy taking out his bass. Patrick stood tuning his guitar. He’d been a professional musician for several years now.

Mom and I ate our pizza, and I couldn’t help wondering how long I’d been coming to Centro, a town fixture. And then it hit me.

“The first time I came here was with you,” I said. “I swear, we sat at this very table. I was pregnant for the first time.”

My trim, silver-haired mother smiled. “I remember that.” She had driven me that day and as always, navigated super carefully, mindful of her expectant daughter in the passenger’s seat. Like all new mothers-to-be, I was fretful, not sure what to expect, either from the delivery or this new stage of life.

Then I realized something else… that baby in my belly was the bearded young man now standing on the gazebo tuning his guitar.

How fast time had gone and what would I tell that nervous, young mother-to-be so long ago?

You won’t believe the journey ahead, I’d say. You’ll have this baby and another boy a few years later. There’ll be diapers, sleepless nights, Barney the Dinosaur (always too early), Pokeman cards, oceans of hoodies, new driver’s licenses (and more sleepless nights), bands in the basement, proms, graduations, nail-biting waits for college admissions, first jobs, second jobs. You’ll cheer their wins and encourage them when they lose. Nicest thing of all, you’ll be close to your kids. You’ll not only love them but like them.

Thanks to their musician father, you’ll always have music in your life – whether from him or your boys.

There will be bumps in the road along the way, but most of it will be beautiful.

That night, Mom and I finished our pizza and set up lawn chairs on the town green. There were easily a hundred people to see this band with my husband and son. I felt proud. We listened to “The Girlz” sing classics like “These Boots are Made for Walking” and “I Heard it through the Grapevine.” Many people sang and clapped along. Some stood to dance. The evening was the first perfect spring night of the year.

Looking back at the restaurant, I could almost see my younger self gazing worriedly out the window. All will be fine, I want to tell her, but you’ll have to find out for yourself.

In the meantime, thirty years later, I’ll enjoy this full-circle moment..

 

Have you had a full-circle moment? Comments are always welcome and if you’d like to share this, feel free.

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