I Thought There Would Be More ...

My wife and I are “that” couple who used to post too many pictures of their dogs, but now post too many pictures of their kids.  We know you are probably tired of seeing our children.  We get it and it’s not that we don’t care – it’s just when you stare at walking talking miracles everyday it’s hard not to want to share that with the world.

It’s hard to come up with the right words to describe them.  They are beautiful and hilarious.  They are messy and adorable.  They are clumsy and frustrating.  They are bright eyed and brilliant.  There is something about them that captures your heart, one small piece at a time – moment by moment – day by day until suddenly you look up and the only thing that matters is sharing each experience with them.  Every thought.  Every laugh.  Every bonk.  Every cry. 

And each moment is unbelievably precious.  They happen so fast it’s easy to miss them.  They are like whispers that waft through the air – if only you could catch them.  There are some that you are able to hold on to – to capture and keep for a lifetime.  But most fade and are forgotten like buried treasures lying dormant waiting for someone to stumble upon them.

There is nothing quite like being a parent.

And it’s true what they say …. Time moves so fast.  They grow too fast.  Things change to fast.  You blink and something is gone.

In the past few months we have celebrated a 3^rd birthday and we have brought another child into this world.  It’s hard not to be crippled by the truth that time moves so fast.  I have fought the urge until recently when after both of our boys were in bed, my wife and I watched a film titled, “Boyhood”.

The film is unique in that it was filmed over 12 years using the same actors.  And although what plays out on screen is fictitious – the reality of watching a boy grow into a man happens right before your eyes.

I have to confess there was a scene in the film that rocked me.  When the credits were rolling I processed that moment and it brought me to tears.  I started to cry uncontrollably and it took me over an hour to regain my composure.  It brought me to a very hard truth.

In the scene, the mother is talking with her son as he is packing to leave for college.  She seems upset and after her son presses her for the reason she admits, that she’s lost.  She always knew this day would come – but as she said “I thought there would be more.”

But that’s the truth.  There won’t be more.

There won’t be another today.  There won’t be another moment just like this one.

As I sit here and write this there are 733 weeks until my oldest son graduates.  That seems like a long way off, but as you have probably said it before – “it will be here before you know it”.

Make the most of each day with your children.  Make the most of each moment.  There are plenty of things that seem like they are worth doing, but we will never regret pouring into our children.

You may think you have time – you may think there will be more.

But you only have right now.