Marty Was Right!
When my kids were babies, I remember asking my colleague, Marty, what his favorite stage of parenting was. At the time, he had two college kids and a young high schooler. Without hesitation, he answered, “every stage was my favorite stage.” What?!?! What a cop-out answer! C’mon, Marty, give me something I can use!! He went on to explain how every single stage of parenting was better than the last. It felt like the inverse of this classic scene from Office Space.
With my kids now six (or “six and a half” as they would clarify), I now understand exactly what Marty was talking about. Every single stage of parenting has been better than the last. This weekend, Sarah was out of town on a girls’ trip. In her absence, we had a heck of a guy’s weekend. We mowed the yard, did some landscaping, explored the Des Moines Farmer’s Market, read books, spent time at Northern Vessel, watched Star Wars, attended church, played video games, and slammed some ice cream. In other words, it was an awesome time!! I treasure the time I get to spend with them. It’s depressing to think we only have 12 more years of them home before they leave the nest to create their own life. Wow, time is scarce!
The more time that passes, the more I realize how Marty knew the secret. In the world of meaning and money, there’s no better reminder of what true meaning looks like than spending intentional time with our kids. Life and work can be crazy, and always runs the risk of hindering the time we have with our kids. I’ve been on both the winning and losing side of this coin over the years, but this weekend affirms and re-affirms how badly I want to get it right. There’s no amount of money that can justify neglecting our greatest legacy and meaning, our children.
The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know. This motto applies to so many different aspects of life. It’s humbling…..quite humbling. I’m just grateful I have people around me who will always shoot me straight, hold me accountable, and push me to be better. Miss you, Marty! If you’re reading this, just know you’ve made much more of an impact on me than you probably realize!