Treasuring The Time

I’ve been reflecting on the time I get to spend with some friends and family who don’t live near me, as well as those who are close. I’m incredibly grateful for the life I’ve been building that affords me the opportunity to drop in on those who aren’t close, even if for a short visit.

In the last 25 days I’ve been blessed enough to take three quick trips without interrupting my work or local extracurricular activities. In September, I was able to ride one of my motorcycles to Phoenix to visit my nephew for his 12th birthday. I was only there for 24 hours, before jumping back on the road to return home (in a storm).

I haven’t seen him since last Christmas, so it was a lovely visit, even though it was quick. Technology is great, allowing us to talk and send pics and even video chat, but nothing beats an in-person visit with real hugs. Sometimes that in-person contact is lost on us, especially with the challenges of the last year and a half.

My nephew gave me big hugs and made sure to spend a little bit of quality time with me even though he had friends over celebrating his birthday. I truly cherish those moments.

It was even sweeter because I also got to see my mom, step-father, brother, and my younger son flew in (even though I see him almost every day). It’s nice when we are able to get together and share laughs and create new memories.

The older I get, the more I cherish experiences and quality time with loved ones. Those things tend to mean more to me as I watch the grains of sand in my proverbial hourglass of life slipping through the center, never to be seen again.

A couple of weeks after that, I flew into San Antonio, Texas for about 24 hours to pop up on my oldest son for his 26th birthday. He’s currently there for training with the Navy, before he moves on to his new home in Virginia. Seeing his face when I walked into the restaurant where he was having his birthday dinner with his wife meant more to me than I even know how to express.

He was sad to see me go the following evening, but that short burst of quality time was well worth the time and expense to get there for his special day. In some ways, I think the shorter trips and limited exposure makes us truly be present and appreciate our time together even more than we used to.

Last week I rode down to California to meet a friend and client for the first time in person. A small group of us had dinner by the beach to celebrate a couple of birthdays, then I headed an hour away to stay with another friend.

I was only there for about 36 hours and didn’t get to see a couple of other friends I wanted to see due to scheduling conflicts, but I’ll be back, even if it’s only for a quick lunch then turning around to head back home.

A couple of hours with a friend or loved one in person is well worth the eight to ten hours of travel time, in my book (especially if I get to take advantage of riding one of my bikes there). I’m so grateful to be in a place and space in my life to make these trips, along with experiencing different concerts and shows with friends and family.

Besides those three trips, I was able to share a few meals with close friends, celebrate some birthdays with a girl’s night downtown, go to two concerts, support my best friend’s son at BMX, visit the pumpkin patch with one of my circles of girlfriends, and so much more.

One of the things I’ve learned over the last several years is that if I don’t take advantage of an opportunity that’s presenting itself to me, I might never get that opportunity again. As cliché as it is, tomorrow isn’t promised. That person or that experience may not be there tomorrow. You may not be there tomorrow.

A keynote speaker at a professional conference that I attended earlier this year gave us an assignment. He asked us to write our own obituary based on what we think our family and friends would say about us if we passed today.

Most people who do that exercise struggle. I didn’t. I actually smiled, because I think the people closest to me would remember me the way that I’d want to be remembered. For being present in their lives, for being caring, for trying and doing as much as I could possibly do, etc.

How will you be remembered?