June | 2020 | edUconnections

Five years ago today we said good-bye to Carter – until we meet again that is. Time stands still for no one. We have zoomed from 2015 to 2020 in a blink of an eye. Some days may seem long while the years seem short. We should learn and grow from our experiences. So what have we learned in the past five years? LOTS. Not enough.
Let’s take this year for example. The first half of 2020 has taught us many things, and we are still waiting to learn more. Here are a few relevant yet timeless considerations:

1. Love.

2. Laugh. When the going gets tough, laughter is valuable medicine.

3. Wash your hands – a lot. Basic hygiene and common sense go a long ways.

4. Don’t cough on people. Watch what comes out of your mouth as it might hurt someone.

5. Share. It turns out other people have needs too.

6. Respect different perspectives and recognize it takes walking a lifetime in another’s shoes to truly know their story. Until you do, listen and learn. Everyone is important.

7. Sports, music, theatre, … social outlets are important to our well-being.

8. Sing in the sunshine and sing in the rain. Take whatever comes our way, and make the best of it. Negativity doesn’t change it; it just makes things worse.

9. Smile while you are zooming. Just because you aren’t necessarily in the same room with others doesn’t mean that you can’t smile at them. Smiles brighten our days in so many, many ways.

10. Most importantly – take time to enjoy today together. Don’t always live in the rush of our daily world and expectations. This time in quarantine has taught us to be at home with our families, enjoy dinner together as a family, and laugh together some too, which our normal schedules do not always allow.
Thinking back…Carter enjoyed going to KB’s with the extended family, and he enjoyed this frequent routine to the local establishment. He would order his specialty – a steak sandwich and always ask them to hold the bun. You see – steak was not on the menu while the steak sandwich was. He found a way to have his steak and eat it too. 🙂 He would order a baked potato as the side – and then take it to go. He enjoyed a good steak, and he enjoyed being with his family; he knew how to enjoy life – and laugh a lot.

Okay, so this list could go on and on as we learned so many valuable lessons so far this year…I’ll stop here. Actually, I have to stop now as I need to leave this space.
I write this blog today as I sit at Carter’s Court while JR is at batting practice nearby – just days away from the actual angelversary of Carter Joseph Boerboom, which is June 30^th and the day of this official post. This place, Carter’s Court, is hopefully a place where ballers of any age can take some time to enjoy the game of life. Just in this short time while I write, I have seen several groups come and go with the most noticeable resemblance… laughter. Life goes too fast so we need to just be and just breathe sometimes… and just laugh. Tonight is one of those times. After this we will head home to grill “a steak sandwich without the bun” with potatoes for dinner as a family and enjoy today together.