The Night Time Stood Still

Zach's preschool graduation night. That was the night time stood still. June of 2014. Since that night, I have remembered it at random many times. Including today. October is a weird time to be thinking about graduation. But, some things you can't control.

I remember the little ceremony they had. Zach started in January of 2012. He was 2 and a half. That meant he was in a nice amount of slides in the slideshow. But, that's not when time stood still. It wasn't the refreshment time after either.

It was after that. When we were all supposed to be leaving. But, very few people left. Parents weren't in a rush to separate their kids from their friends. So we talked as the kids played. While the sun set and the moon grew strong. The kids played. What was really just over an hour felt like one moment in time. Frozen.

Most of the kids lived in the town the preschool was in. A few of them even knew already they would be in the same kindergarten class. For most, they knew they would never see each other again. We talked about making playdates. But, they never happened.

Zach wasn't the only one saying "goodbye" to friends most likely forever. I was too. Every day after school we stayed around while he played with friends. I would socialize with my parent friends. We occasionally run into someone from preschool. But, it will never be the same.

Time stood still that night. No one wanted it to end. Eventually, we had to let each other go. We all moved forward. Kindergarten started. New friends were made. New routines began. These friendships are the kind of friendships that might actually last long after graduation. That's how it works in this town. You loose touch, but, find each other again.

I think about when he was in preschool sometimes. I wonder if he does too. I think about his friends, my friends, the amazing teachers, and the school itself. He's grown so much since then. It's getting hard to remember my three year old.

We drive by his preschool often. And the night that stood still continues in my memory. Even on a sunny afternoon. I wasn't ready for that time to be over. Would we find a similar routine in Elementary school?

Actually, we did. through last year Zach would play with friends outside school and I would talk to my friends. With him walking home alone more now, it only happens on Fridays. But, the night time stood still continues. The names, faces, and location have all changed. But, time hasn't.

It's a good thing that I still cherish the people and school that were a part of that time. That night that time stood still was the night the most important 13 years of his life started. Can we have that night back, just once? Would we still even recognize the kids and parents if we ran into them?

In that night, time stood still.