Just finished watching E.T. with my kids. Am soggy with tears. I wasn't sure if it would stand up -- it's been so long and there's that silly Neil Diamond song and I couldn't quite separate the film and the song, not to mention one of the greatest product placements of all time. Oh, for a bag of Reese's Pieces.

At any rate, watching it with the wiry little body of my son curled like a spring next to me on the sofa, I felt the way I would guess E.T. and Elliott feel. That is, I felt what Theo was feeling. He was excited and sad and happy. He thought things were hilarious and terrible and scary. And I did, too.

Tonight, sitting on the couch, eating handfuls of slightly burnt popcorn and feeling exactly the way my boy felt is, I think why we have kids. And if it's not why we have them, it's really one of the great perks.

I've been in need of perks. Tonight, Theo jumped into my arms when the movie finished. He jumped into his father's arms. His eyes were bright and the blue of my hometown skies and his smile so big, his face so wide with wonder it's impossible to think of anything else.

So, thank you, Mr. Spielberg and goodnight.