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Tempus Ascendit

My son has recently taken up climbing. At first via an after school club but now he’s got a membership at a local climbing centre. This means he can now go scrambling up awkwardly shaped walls on weekends as well as schooldays which means I get to accompany him.

Today was my first chance to do this. He went off suitably corona-masked and equipped with a chalk-bag and his new climbing shoes into the depths of the building while I grabbed a coffee and went to find a place to sit.

Suitably armed with caffeine I looked into the open area with the climbers and I saw a young man scrambling with ease up what looked like a tricky section of wall. Perhaps one day my own son, when he is a little taller and stronger, will be able to do that, I thought.

And then I recognised him behind the mask. My son was already taller and stronger than I realised and it took seeing him unknowingly to realise that.

Lovely moment but astonishing too. Seeing someone everyday means the little changes turn invisible. My son is now a young man and I almost missed it.

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