“It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.”—Laura Ingalls Wilder
There are some really simple things I enjoy on an almost daily basis. They involve very little effort, but it struck me how much I look forward to these seemingly minor events in my life.
In the hustle and bustle of life, time alone with my wife is premium. With our busy work schedules, shuffling the children around to practices and other events, and all the other things that need to be done just to keep the household functioning, we don’t often get the chance to just stop to spend time alone together. Date nights take a fair amount of effort and can sometimes lose their charm—or simply feel like an escape. Not long ago, we started setting aside a “15-minute check-in” most evenings. The kids will say it always goes over 15-minutes, but, oh well. Honestly, now, if for some reason, we can’t make it work, it feels like there is a huge void in the day. It is time simply spent. We sit, have a glass of wine (or, in my case, a beer), and talk about our day. I look so forward to this time. I am not even sure my wife realizes how much I look forward to this time.
Then there are the little opportunities to spend time with my son and daughter. I look forward to walking my little girl to the bus stop in the morning. It is only a block away, and anymore she doesn’t let me hold her hand—but, sometimes she does. The time is short, and often we are hustling out the door to catch the bus, but it is special time. It is our time. To wave goodbye as the bus leaves gives me a warm start to the day. Then, of course, there are the times when she just wants to cuddle on the couch. These times are fleeting, as children grow. Hopefully, though, they morph into special times that are different, but equally important.
My son is growing up fast. Presently, he is in the awkwardly sweet time between boyhood and manhood. Any time I can just chat with him about life is precious. He is in sports—football, wrestling, and lacrosse. So, I have a lot of time with him shuttling to and from practices. We have a lot of father-son talks during these times. They are special encounters. Moments that shape both of us.
Embrace the moments. Carpe momento! Receive every occasion with thanksgiving.
Don’t waste your seconds. Let every experience be purposeful.
Focus on the opportunities to have an impact. It is cliché, but life is short. Choose what is most significant. Consider significance over importance and urgency. Make your time matter more than productivity. After all, it is the simple things in life that mean the most.
“It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.”—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle