My Kind of Smile

I had a mediation cancel today so I had a little more time this morning that I had anticipated.  Jude is scheduled to speak at an event at 8:30 a.m., so I dropped Joe off at Belmont basketball camp after a quick and much needed 3-mile run in the neighborhood.  

As Joe and I got ready to leave the house, I was more than a little nostalgic.  In all likelihood, this is Joe's last day of Belmont basketball camp.  Forever.  He's aged out at 12, although he mentioned that a few 13 year olds were scattered among the campers this week.  

JP and Joe always have had such great experiences at Belmont basketball camp in all the years they have attended, often times with friends.  Rick Byrd ran a great camp and so does Casey Alexander.  It's been special, so special for my boys to have the opportunity to interact with Belmont's basketball players during  camp week.  I think it makes them feel more connected to the basketball program each season when they know, personally, several of the players.  

As I've often said, we're sidewalk alumni of Belmont University, given that we live three or four blocks away from campus.  We've spent so much time on campus with the boys over the years.  It's convenient to be sure for Jude to walk over to the Curb Center to pick up Joe in the afternoons when camp is over.  It helps, of course, that we know several people in the athletic department and in the basketball program.  The feeling of connectedness we have with Belmont University has only increased over the years.  

After Joe and I parked and were walking in this morning, I stopped him to take a quick picture.  I am, of course, the family photographer.  He smiled at me, basketball shoes in hand, and I snapped the photo with my cell phone.  

In passing, as we walked up the stairs outside the Curb Center, he said, "I've got a weird smile."

I paused and replied, "No you don't.  You've got a fantastic smile.  Why do you think that?"

"When we were getting our pictures taken at school for the annual, the teacher taking the pictures told me to use 'my real smile.'"  

"That's dumb," I said.  "You've got a great smile!"  

That's all we said about it but, still, after I walked him in to the gym, then left, our exchange was still on m mind.  I wondered if it was something that had been bothering him or if was something that just popped into his mind this morning.  I'm not sure.  

What strikes me, though, is how much a passing comment from an adult can stick in a child's mind.  It's a reminder, I think, that as adults, we have to be careful about what we say to children and how we say it.  That's especially true for parents and coaches, I think, because children look up to us so much and probably take what we say to heart.  It's a good reminder to me, as a dad and a baseball coach.

And Joe does have a fantastic smile.