Levi Walking Bear
Very Interesting
On the NHL Network earlier and there will be more programming later this afternoon is Hockey Day in Canada. To get into the spirit, did what I did many times, many years ago, grabbed my skates, stick gloves, ect, and walked to a pond two blocks from the D Rex dungeon. A few kids were playing, some are my students, some of the younger ones will be in the future. It's always a fond memory to get back on that pond. Where I live way up upstate, it's a bit like it is in Canada, go outside, play hockey all day with your friends, not a care or worry in the world. My mother was from Quebec City so it was only natural for her to put skates on my feet and a stick in my hands at an early age.
The kids needed another player so why not, might as well play. Not too hard, didn't want to hurt anyone just fit in. It was beautiful being 14 years old again for a few hours. I was Rex, one of the guys, not the science teacher, not the geologist. It was a joy, the sounds of skates, the puck making contact with the stick and all you can hear and see playing hockey. No matter how untrue it was, for a few hours to be young, so free again felt good. To be out there out on that pond, it reminds of all that was and is good. Playing the "best game you can name" as the song says, was it, did not matter If I scored, did not matter who won, it was fun and that is all that counted.
Time to walk back home, reality set back in. I turned back to being the teacher, not 14 but 61 years old. Was hoping for a Twilight Zone moment, being back in time for good, to get another chance to relive it all again. Stepping back into the house produced fond yet bitter moment. So many times Mom had a nice hot lunch ready for when the morning of hockey was over. I walked through the door, there was no one there with a hot lunch for me, my visit back in time was officially over.
Thanks for reading this little Hockey Day story. Guess the moral of the story is hope the game of hockey has given you as much pleasure that it has given me over the years. Most of all enjoy your time with your families.
In memory to my mom, 7/14/19-1/18/12
Let's go Islanders,
Rex
The kids needed another player so why not, might as well play. Not too hard, didn't want to hurt anyone just fit in. It was beautiful being 14 years old again for a few hours. I was Rex, one of the guys, not the science teacher, not the geologist. It was a joy, the sounds of skates, the puck making contact with the stick and all you can hear and see playing hockey. No matter how untrue it was, for a few hours to be young, so free again felt good. To be out there out on that pond, it reminds of all that was and is good. Playing the "best game you can name" as the song says, was it, did not matter If I scored, did not matter who won, it was fun and that is all that counted.
Time to walk back home, reality set back in. I turned back to being the teacher, not 14 but 61 years old. Was hoping for a Twilight Zone moment, being back in time for good, to get another chance to relive it all again. Stepping back into the house produced fond yet bitter moment. So many times Mom had a nice hot lunch ready for when the morning of hockey was over. I walked through the door, there was no one there with a hot lunch for me, my visit back in time was officially over.
Thanks for reading this little Hockey Day story. Guess the moral of the story is hope the game of hockey has given you as much pleasure that it has given me over the years. Most of all enjoy your time with your families.
In memory to my mom, 7/14/19-1/18/12
Let's go Islanders,
Rex
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