Movie Night

I had two good offers from which to choose. One was clearly better than the other. But neither was a loser.

A bunch of my buddies were planning on attending the high school football game on Friday night. It would be a competitive game, and our school's team was in the running for a birth in the district playoffs.

The alternative was an in-home movie night with my daughter. At her invitation. I'm a big Harry Potter fan, and I've read all the books, some of them twice, and I'd seen all the movies except the sixth installment. With the first installment of the final movie soon to be released,  my daughter suggested she and I watch Potter #6 before we went to see number seven, part one.

My middle daughter is a high school senior and already has selected and been accepted to the college of her choice. She quietly wishes her senior year were almost over because she's ready for the next phase of her life to begin. And although I have a good relationship with her, she's a teenager, and she's a female, so things aren't always as smooth as I'd like for them to be.

I've also been feeling a bit guilty of late as well. I had similar feelings before my first daughter went to college. Like I haven't told them all they need to know before they go off the college. Like I haven't shown them enough, taught them enough.

Needless to say, I chose movie night in with my daughter over Friday night football out with the boys. I'm not saint. I just want to make sure I can capture as many moments with my daughter as I can before she packs up and moves 3.5 hours away for much of the next four years.

Later that evening, I got a text message from one of my buddies, who was at the football game. They were expecting me, and, when I didnt' show up, he wanted to see why. His text was simple. "Thought your were coming. Want to make sure everything is all right."

I texted him back and told him about my other offer. I was feeling a little guilty because we don't get to see our friends as often as we'd like to. But my buddy's return message made me smile.

His reply simply said, "Great decision."

P.S. Tell your daughter you love her.