“Time flys.” How many times have you heard or used that expression? I know I have used it many times, usually when I feel like my four days off from work have went by to quick. Lately it’s when I stare at my oldest son, Benaiah, and picture him in my arms as a baby rocking him back and forth in the nursery. Time does fly by, and often we miss out on the things that really matter and should pay more attention too.
“Dad want to play knights with me?”
“Can you read that book one more time dad?”
“Hey babe, instead of playing your game, how about we talk for a bit on the couch?”
Those moments and how we choose to respond determine the relationships we form and the love we express. Taking the time to do something with care rather than rushing through can make all the difference in our lives and for those around us. I’m talking to myself here as well because so many times I’ve flown through my day without taking a moment to pause, reflect and appreciate.
My daughter Railene has a new expression of love now that she came up with last week. Before you go anywhere outside, whether to work or a store, she has to give you a sticker. Yesterday she exclaimed as I was walking out the door, “Dad, wait! You need your sticker! If you get in trouble and go off the road(examples used so far: slip on ice, fall in a snowbank, hit by a car, etc) you press it and I help you.” Now I’m not talking about your normal everyday sticker you get from a teacher or for doing good when you get a needle, I’m talking about an imaginary sticker. So I have made it a priority to stop, lean forward and let my little girl plop an invisible sticker on my arm before I walk out the door. The fact that Railene believes that sticker will help me makes it so precious. Plus I find it comical as I imagine Railene in some command centre with stickers everywhere and alarms sounding for those sticker beacons activated by a slap to the arm.
I need to slow down more. Do you? In our fast paced, technology driven society of bleeps, dings, pings and whistles trying to grab our attention it’s hard to slow down.
I remember a time when Benaiah was three years old, I would slowly begin to lose my patience after I would tuck him into bed at night and the same request was put forth, “Dad, can you spin my plane one more time?” I’d walk over to the blue Me 109 fighter plane hanging from his ceiling by fishing line and give it a spin. Then upon walking out of his room the same request would come from him again, and again and again. Sometimes he would ask for that plane to be spun 5 or 6 times. I would huff and puff and and give it one final push before walking out of his bedroom.
Now I long for those moments.
He doesn’t ask me to do that anymore, instead after I kiss goodnight, say his blessing and tell him I love him there is usually silence in the room as I walk out as he settles into sleep. Someday there won’t be a plane at all hanging from that ceiling because my little man will have a family of his own. God help me, help us, treasure the time we have and make the most of it.
Christian
The Eason Clan 