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I know.  I know.  Some will argue I was never cool in the first place.  Let's forget that for the sake of this story.

My son and I have been walking to school.  It takes us about 15-minutes -- give or take a few minutes -- depending on how many squished bugs and toads and any other distraction he decides to stop for along the way.

Just 4 days into it, something came into sharp focus.  I'm not cool anymore.

In our neighborhood, the sidewalks are sporadic at best so we're walking in the street a lot.  My son holds my hand along the way.  That way if some car comes flying by, I can launch him into the grass by his one arm.

The other day as we turned the corner and the school came into view about 200 yards away, he let go.

He didn't want to hold my hand anymore.  (insert sobbing here!)

I wondered if it was a fluke but he did it again today. 

Same place. 

I even grabbed his hand again just to prove my point. 

He let go.

Of course when I told my wife this story she said, in a joking yet mocking tone, that he holds her hand the entire way home from school.

I knew this would eventually happen but I figured it wouldn't be until 5th, 6th or 7th grade.

I could look at it as the wonderful growth of independence it is. 

That's easier said that done.

Brian