The Adventure

Live Your Story, Explore Your World

Confession to My Son

Why I Didn’t Get Emotional and Cry Tears of Joy When You Were Born

First off, you are so very deeply loved and you have changed me, for the better, more than any other life event. Hands down. Ever. But I didn’t get emotional and cry when you were born, like I thought I would. I always heard people talk about an instant bond or connection with their newborn and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. It’s not that I didn’t have that, in my own way, but it was different than I had heard described by other moms. And it was different than I thought it would be.

I was surprisingly calm and I just wanted to look at you and figure out all the details of your brand new little self. I initially just thought maybe we’d just look into each others eyes and connect like old soul mates and be a little family of best friends, instantly.

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Salvage Beauty

I came to the coffee shop to work but got sidetracked by a photography series called “Rust Never Sleeps.” It’s basically a very well-done series of crisp, defined pictures and angles of old rusty cars abandoned in fields with no purpose left to serve.  I love the aesthetics of it, but it also makes me introspective and sad.

These cars were once young, fresh, and new.

They were sought after, desired, status symbols.

Now they are an eye-sore, waste, litter.

DeSoto by Teresa Moore

DeSoto by Teresa Moore

The artist found a purpose for them, but no one else could. Most of us are too busy in the race for the next best status symbol that we give up on what we have – we throw it away – and we refuse to see the beauty in it until someone with the right lens prints a big enough, high enough quality picture of it to slap us in the face and say “look at the beauty that still exists in me.”

Psychedelic Rust by Scott Mais

Psychedelic Rust by Scott Mais

One of These Days

This was written by my wife Casey for our little Cillian.  I thought it was poignant, and wanted to share it with you. ~Cole

Mom and Baby

One of these days, probably sooner rather than later,
I’m not going to be able to nurse you to sleep anymore.

And you’re going to stop falling asleep on my shoulder, grasping onto my shirt and holding me as if I’m your whole world.

At some point, the one am, three am, and five am snuggle times will cease.

One of these days you’ll stop laughing and flashing that big grin of mine (with my one random dimple) at me when I make funny faces and noises.

One of these days it won’t be like this anymore,
so I’m going to be thankful, now, for every moment that it is.

We All Live In The Same World; How Can It Be So Different?

This was written by my wife, Casey.  It’s about a life changing experience she had while on a mission trip to El Salvador.  I’m encouraging her to share her writing more, as she is a wonderful storyteller.  I hope this inspires you as it has me.  – Cole

 

When I was seventeen I went to El Salvador with my church youth group.  I really didn’t go for any of the right reasons at all.  I didn’t go down there because I had this huge urge to help people; I thought that would be an added bonus.  The main reason I went down there was for me.  I thought it would be nice to have a vacation…to go to another country…to hang out with a couple of my friends who were going down there with me, etc.

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The Best Dad… Really.

This is a guest post from my wife Casey, whose sweet side is rarely made public.  As a tribute to father’s day, she asked me to publish this letter she wrote for our soon-to-arrive son.  It’s pretty awesome.  Here goes.

Son-

I wanted to let you know some reasons why Christopher Cole Bradburn is going to be the best father ever. And he’s going to be yours, you lucky little guy.

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