Field Trips Are Fun!

This morning I skipped out of work for a few minutes to join my youngest son Kevin on a school field trip to Portland City Hall.

Since I sort of snuck in, I guess I was not exactly considered a chaperone. No matter, as I caught his eye—and the look on his face at seeing Dad at the back of the room made it all worthwhile. I thought about how I’ll miss this someday, when he is all grown-and gone. I remember similar events with my older son John (now a sophomore in college) and my daughter (a senior in high school)—how time has flown! It seems like only yesterday that I was with THEM for such field trips.

Although the trip is meant to educate the young ones, I never leave without learning a thing or two myself. Like the fact that the present Portland City Hall is the THIRD one to sit on that site, the previous two having burned. The granite that makes up the building comes from Jay, Maine, The architectural firm that designed the building is the same one that drew up plans for the New York Public Library and Senate/House buildings in Washington. The city’s motto, “Resurgam” and the seal featuring a phoenix rising from the ashes are references to the devastating fires that consumed much of the city in the past.

I missed the last part of the trip as I had to scoot back to work…but I will always cherish the memories of today with my boy, Kevin, whom I affectionately refer to as the “Dude of Dudes!”