Passing the Football Through Generations...

I don't know if football became my favorite sport in its own right or because Sundays growing up were associated with going to spend the day lounging and watching games at Nana and Poppy's apartment.

We would typically get picked up in the morning, go to Radio Shack or something, and then hang out for the bulk of the day, playing backgammon, Connect Four, gin rummy, and having special lunches. Just a special, special time.

I've been watching football now for 28 years and every season has involved, at some level, special time with my grandparents..until this one.

Last year, when we all felt that my grandparents were on their last legs, I made a point of taking the kids to their apartment a few times on Sunday to experience the joy of watching football and bonding with them.

As longtime blog readers know, there is a rule in our house that we can only eat in the den, if we are watching football.

As a result of this unique privilege, I managed to have the kids worked up into a frenzy today in preparation for the opening kickoff of the season (we don't hold by the Thursday night opener), so much so that they were in their seats, ready to eat lunch a full 10 minutes before gametime. (Calanit hasn't sat in a booster seat since last January, but wanted to for the game).

This morning, when Calanit woke up, the first thing she said (I wasn't there) was, "it's football season!" and for the bulk of the morning (we spent it delivering Rosh Hashana packages to homebound seniors), the excitement was in the air.

I was emotional on many levels.

Obviously, the void of my grandparents was present, but the joy in transmitting the hallowed time of Sunday afternoons spent lounging around, watching the games, tossing the football, tackling each other and having lunch (and dinner! as Tonka excitedly exclaimed) in the den will hopefully give my kids the fond memories with me that I have of my grandparents.