We often try to define what the “best part” of being a parent is, but it changes daily (at least it does for me) Some days it’s the way that your little one snuggles up to you while you read them a bedtime story and you can smell the scent of clean baby/child as well as feel their pudgy hands holding yours. Other days it’s the way that they come to you to solve their problems and trust that you will know the “right thing to do” – even when you’re not sure you will, but you have to try and hope for the best. But then there are times, like I’ve been experiencing with my oldest, that you realize this is one of those experiences that you will hold onto for a lifetime and be so proud that they chose to be around you.

Recently my oldest son has become interested in running and being fit. He’s 13 and has a girlfriend, so really not much of a surprise there. The surprising part is that he chose to run with his mom. That’s right – he asked me to run with him. I want to take credit for his interest in running since up until the last year I too was running and trying my best to improve my 5K times and hoping to run a half-marathon, but somehow got off track and added on ten pounds of defeat in the process.

I was flattered to say the least, and a bit worried that I would disappoint him since my form is far from what it used to be, but he has been patient and supportive and has kept asking…so I have kept going. We don’t run far – yet. But we run as often as we can, just the two of us alone in the early morning darkness sharing a secret of sorts. We talk, we run, we stretch. It’s a “kindred spirit” experience and one that I will forever hold onto and cherish. It makes me so proud to be his mom and so happy to know that he wants to be with me at a time when most of his friends think that their mothers are idiots and are getting in their way. It gives me the sense that I’ve done something right. That doesn’t happen too often as a parent.

So, I will continue running with my teenage son and enjoying the time that he is allowing me to be a part of his world and hold onto every moment like a scrapbook in my heart. That is the best part of it.