Splat!

John with buddies Quinn and Cameron at the Wildfire Paintball course in Conyers.

For the past two years, John Robert's birthday wish was for a paintball game with his friends.  Today I sat outside in the crisp, fall air watching him race around the paintball course full of old shacks and various obstacles dressed in what appeared to be riot gear and shooting green balls full of orange paint.  It took me a while to determine the attraction; but I had all afternoon to figure it out!

John and his friends are strategists at heart.  They love to discuss angles, trajectories, and various strike positions.  They are interested in playing different roles, discussing weapon strengths and weaknesses, and having a plan.  Paintball is one of the video games they love to play-- come to life-- but with very little danger to life and limb.  

There were other lessons to be learned today as well.  After we had been at the course for a while, we were joined by five new players. They were older; dressed in black and they looked intimidating.  I tensed a bit, wondering if they would be too rough for my young strategists.

To our surprise, they were delightful.  Friendly.  Willing to split up and include our guys on their teams.  They all had a ball, laughing afterward about who hit whom and admiring the big orange Splats on one another.

After three and a half hours, one pan of brownies, three gourmet cupcakes, a box of granola bars, and a cooler full of water and fruit punch, we finally packed up and headed home as the sun set.

I smiled to myself as they changed topic on the way home: discussing their favorite board games and deciding to have a board game night at one boys' house the following weekend.  My happy teenager and his friends.  Still just boys for a while longer.

The boys heading out for the start of another game.