Sick Day at the Dog Park

I used a sick day today, first time in quite a while.  I probably shouldn't have worked the late shift Monday night until 9 PM, then 10 PM to 4 AM at the second job, then 7 AM to 3 PM on Tuesday considering my ongoing battle with this cold, but I needed to do so to attend my daughter's water polo  senior night.  Of course, the senior night activity was well worth the effort even though I was on cruise control after only 90 minutes of sleep.  So many memories of my daughter, Rachel, flooded to the fore of my wife and my collective memory. 

Swim lessons at the Y, summer swim team with the other little Gators, the first ever winning swim season, little girls turning to young ladies, the switch from swimming to water polo in high school, those same little girls kicking and scratching their way to the first winning water polo season.  And the other parents who also brought snacks, wielded stop watches, kept score, and reffed from the bleachers.

Many tears and smiles at the ceremony.  The end of an era for us, the parents.  The beginning of a new life for our daughters. 

Since I didn't work today, I relaxed at home and watched movies while dozing.  Around 4:30 I took the dog to the dog park so he could run around without me having to run with him.  It was a mild day and the park was jammed.  Dogs of every size and breed, barking, running, sniffing each other's butts.  Dog heaven, one might say.

At one point, I heard one "mommy" say to her pet, "go ahead and play with the other dogs", a comment not unlike one I made and heard so many times when taking my kids to the playground when they were young.  But then I thought, is that always true?  Do we always encourage our kids to play with the other kids, or only when those kids are similar to our own? 

Don't get me wrong, we are all guilty to one extent or another of "protecting' our children.  Whether that protection takes the form of the white flight to the suburbs of the 1970's, or home schooling, or even the subtle messages we send about our children's friends who look different, we rationalize these prejudices in the wrap of being good parents. 

I know, kids and dogs aren't the same.  But still, wouldn't it be nice if, just as we don't give it a second thought when our labeagle (lab and beagle mix) plays with a retriever, or poodle or pit bull, we looked less askance at our kids when they brought home someone with a different skin color, religion or sexual preference.