I had a Cherry Coke Zero this afternoon and it transported me back to another time and place.

My dad used to work out at the downtown YMCA in Mobile, Alabama when I was a kid. He’d lift weights or play in a racquetball league, while I ran around the track, played basketball, and went swimming. Once we were done, we’d both soak in the hot tub and then get a Cherry Coke from the vending machine by the front desk.

It’s funny how some things, however seemingly insignificant, serve up distant memories.

As I thought about this throughout the day, I considered how my sons will be reaching an age where they have core memories of their childhood. What will they be? Who have I become that will set the example for them?

And what will they remember later, maybe even after I’m gone?

I guess if I’m lucky, maybe it will be as sweet at Cherry Coke.