It wasn’t how I thought the day would unfold. Truly.

I was sick with worry and in a fit of neediness, I asked my mama to come and spend the day.

She said yes.

She went with me to an IEP meeting that was awfully good.

Mothers know best, don’t they?

Mine does.

She went with me to my oldest son’s award ceremony.

He won an awful lot.

I never won much of anything. I was never the best at anything unless you count the second time I took Latin I, but I mean, that didn’t really count.

I heard his name called, again and again, and when it came time to the big award?

He got second place.

I was so proud and my mother?

She held back her tears.

You see, my brother never won academic awards either so this was a first.

Just an hour before, we sat in a meeting talking about the future of our precious Amos and somehow, I think these types of awards won’t be bestowed upon him.

It’s okay though, because not everyone can be first or second best.

It doesn’t really matter and so, we were happy and I told myself, be happy and remember that beautiful boy and his grandmother standing in the cornfield that travels the parking lot of a rural eastern NC middle school.

Be thankful for the good stuff.