This morning, because I’m always thinking about eighty things at once, I completely forgot to give Miles his water bottle before sending him into school. I noticed about halfway to work and swore at myself, but at that point I’d have to wait for my lunch break to shuttle it over.
As fate would have it, I pulled up to and started across the lawn to the building when I heard a voice over my shoulder coming from the daycare building. I turned to find the head of the daycare and Miles, who was a sobbing mess. Miles’s cries prevented him from speaking coherently as I hugged him, but I came to understand that he “wasn’t listening” (surprise, surprise) and instead of sitting down for lunch he had opted to run around the room, ultimately colliding with the side of a table.
As upset as I had been at myself for forgetting the water bottle that morning, I was immediately thankful it had led me here at this exact moment, where I could both console Miles and give him a stern(ish) talking-to about the need to listen to his teachers. With an ice pop in hand to help with his sore lip (which had taken the brunt of the impact), Miles went back into the building calmer and ready to try harder.
I generally don’t ascribe things to fate, but I will say this was a nice coincidence.
The Perils (& Pride) of Paternity 