Ben by Daniel Shelton for September 11, 2023

Vicariously : Senior talk for being very careful……….

This is a very familiar scene … My Great-grand-niece turned one year old a few days ago. I’ve been receiving photos and videos of her since her birth — hundreds of them. The videos always include a reaction, much like Ben’s, from her proud mom and dad for every accomplishment. They sent me one yesterday of the baby practicing her new skill of solo walking, back and forth from dad to mom, mom to dad, and repeat, and around their 2 dogs, and headlong into her little soft-side ball pit, all with her beaming 8-tooth grin, her mom and dad encouraging her with “Good job, Nova!! Yay!!”

Vicarious is a humbling place to arrive at.

Ben is just doing what all dads do (or should). He is encouraging his grandchildren and rejoicing in their accomplishments.

Atta boy, Ben……..

Nicholas might remember the fuss. That’s worth the effort.

Talk about your growth spurts, Nicholas sure get bigger in the last panel.

Great job Ben. And I can verify that somersaults by those in our (late) 60s and beyond may have a bad reaction to a somersault. I did one for my granddaughters- just one – and was so dizzy I couldn’t get off the floor for over 5 minutes.