This evening, Roy called on his way home from work to ask if Terry and I would like to join him and the kiddos for the last BGA home football game of the season. It was a picture perfect fall evening so we were inclined to agree. There was just a hint of crispness in the air and the leaves were starting to don their golden, dusky hues. A night tailor made for high school football.
We drove to the BGA upper campus, parked on a grassy swath and joined Roy and the kids across from the stadium for a little pre-game revelry which entailed watching Lily, Elijah and one of Lily’s friends run amok.
Part of the BGA tailgate experience is that it’s a family friendly affair. Several campus parent groups and students volunteer at each tailgate event and set up tables with snacks and beverages for all to enjoy. And because it was so close to Halloween, there was also a “Trunk- or-Treat” table which was set with miniature pumpkins for the K-4 kids to paint and bags of candy to share.
Into the stadium we went. The excitement inside was palpable. While Terry and I took Elijah with us to find bleacher seats, Roy took Lily onto the field for the “Catwalk”. One of the perks of being a student at BGA is that you have the opportunity to participate in the Catwalk, a gauntlet formed in the end zone by students wildly cheering as the football team rushes onto the field.
It also happened to be Senior Night as well. Since it was the last game of the season, football seniors were presented on the field with their parents standing proudly by their side. I found it all to be quite moving. It was almost as if you could see the bittersweet emotions passing over the faces of the parents. Elated as they realized the hard work and sacrifices they had made to nurture and provide for their children were finally coming to fruition and saddened as they realized that this chapter in their journey of parenting was coming to an end.
When Roy and Lily returned from the field, we climbed to the top of the bleachers to get out of the line of sight of serious football aficionados and settled in. Almost immediately, there was a clamouring for cotton candy and all things saccharine. With kids in hand, Terry and I made our way to the concession stand where we procured sticky, sweet cotton candy and potato chips for the kids, while Terry and I settled on a hamburger, a hot dog, chips and drinks for ourselves. Not exactly a healthy, nutritious meal to be sure but it fit the bill.
Interesting tidbit. Roy informed me that the play-by-play in the announcer’s booth this evening was conducted by none other than the voice of the Tennessee Titans, Mike Keith. Impressive. Also impressive and equally unsettlingly is that every time the Wildcats scored a touchdown, they fired a cannon. That’ll make you jump out of your skin every time.
By halftime, the Wildcats were winning by a wide margin and since it was getting to be past the bedtime for the kids we all decided to head home.
The whole evening harkened back to simpler times. A night where families disconnected from their fast paced digital world and gathered under the stars to share in a single moment. As one, we stood with bowed heads in prayer and then turned our gaze toward the American flag fluttering against a darkening sky and sang the National Anthem. We shared this moment of gratitude for our many blessings as individuals and as a nation while a sense of pride, purpose, and thankfulness settled over us all.
BGA Wildcats trounced Zion Christian 41 to 7 making their record 7 and 2.