Winging It

Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.

– Zuzu Bailey, It's a Wonderful Life

Maybe I've been bell ringing too much lately, but I think I was hearing bells tonight. And I was nowhere near a Red Kettle. Just doing a favor for a friend.

She is out of town for a conference this week and tonight two of her children had special events and her husband wanted to somehow be at both. Her 2nd-grader had his first-ever wrestling match at 6 p.m. Her 9th-grader had his Christmas band concert at 7:30 p.m.

I met up with her husband at the wrestling match. He got to see his son win his first match then had to leave before the second to make it to the band concert. I stayed and was to give his son and a babysitter (also in attendance) a ride home afterward. No problem.

But have you ever been to a grade-school wrestling match? I believe 4 schools were represented with wrestlers from kindergarten through 5th grade. To say it was a zoo is putting it mildly. Somehow it was organized chaos, and yes, did smell faintly of a zoo.

As the sweat of a thousand grade-school wrestlers infested my nostrils, I thought, wow, I am so earning my wings tonight!

The things we do for friends! Seriously, it was a bit insane but not bad. Our cute little wrestler won both of his matches so he was on top of the world. "That was easy," he says. I encouraged him to practice on his big brother and his big dog – not his chauffeur, as I am pretty sure the feisty angel could take me!

I was able to snap some mostly blurry photos to text to my girlfriend. She was pretty appreciative. I recall times I have had friends take photos of Carter for me when I have been out of town. And I know I really appreciated it!

There's something to be said for paying it forward. At all times of the year.

Your ears may end up ringing but that could be the sound of your wings coming in... or just someone talking about you and your generous spirit.