King of the Hill

We've been playing Super Smash Bros for almost 3 years now.  It started out with me dominating.  Then it was a even match.  And in recent months (year?) SW kicks my @$$ every time.  His timing... his anticipation... his every move is impeccable.  

We were playing again last night and I ask him, "Aren't you tired of always winning?" And his answer was, "No, not against you." 

I guess in every little boy... there's this insatiable desire to be better than their fathers.  To be King of the Hill. No mercy.  He simply wants to dominate.  But.... every so often... I do eek out a victory.  Which just further lights the flame. 

Legend of the 5 Kernels

Legend has it..  our forefathers gave thanks using 5 kernels (why not 4? why not 6?) before our nation was even established... 

Without much thinking...without dipping into the annual "Year in Review"... and simply going off memory... my things I'm thankful for in 2023...

1) Thank you mom - for letting dad come in and celebrate Thanksgiving together

2) Thank you Titans - for accepting SW as a player and giving us our first taste of Club Sports life

3) Thank you Tropical Touch - for offering Nui-nui a position in your volleyball club when the world was crashing down and life was in shambles

4) Thank you SJCAC - for allowing me to serve in ESL and Worship Team as I ease my way out of leadership and into what I am now (whatever that is)

5) Thank you Tony, Anson, Tim, Julie, and Winston - for letting me lead and letting you lead in all aspects of our jobs. 

And of course... I'd be remiss to forget... Thank you... my beautiful wife... for keeping this family together... in this otherwise hell-hole that we call 2023.  Without you... where would our family be??? 

Communion

NN says this is communion. I mean… she’s not wrong.

背影

On a cool, autumn night.... I dropped SW off at Cabrillo Middle School in Santa Clara.  I could've parked and walked him to the gym, but I decided against it.  He left the car... grabbed his bag... and walked through the shadows of the night.  A wave of emotions crashed into me... my son... my only son... dealt an underdog hand in life... waded through the darkness to find a sense of belonging.  The kid who I once put into the Emergency Room for feeding him a cashew is now strolling into the frontiers of the unknown.  Will he have friends? Will he get picked on? Will he be safe??  How I longed to be by his side... to protect him, to accompany him, to guide him.  But alas.... I can't be there for him 24/7.  

Who knows what was going through this mind.

Who knows how fast his heart was pounding.

Who knows if he was cursing his mom and dad for putting him in this situation.

Who knows.

But from what I saw.... I saw a champion.  It didn't matter what lied ahead.  He was going to slay every dragon, climb every mountain, swim every ocean.  That's because he is HIM.  He is..... my Siu Wah.