There’s a reason why I’m usually late. And it’s not because I don’t respect or value your time.
It’s that I love to do a million things.
And I love to move.
And I love magic moments with my kids.
What’s a magic moment?
A magic moment is that totally unplanned, spur of the moment opportunity when your child decides he or she wants to do something that you’ve been waiting for them to do for what feels like forever.
Like learning to tie their shoes, or learning to ride a bike, or learning to fry an egg, or asking to go for walk and spend some one on one time with you and you have the best time talking, laughing, exploring, and making memories.
Magic moments happen when both you and the child are in a happy place, when you listen to each other, when you are present in the moment and you are truly connecting.
Sounds magical right? Kind of like a parenting unicorn right?
Yep, in my experience you rarely, if ever, have control when the planets align for the said magic moment to happen.
Trying to plan them, almost always backfires.
Planned magic isn’t exactly magical.
*insert memory of “We are HAVING fun! This is a fun trip I planned and WE ARE HAVING MANDATORY FUN!”*
So, when you sense the opportunity of a real magic moment you must snag it!
For me it usually happens when we have to be somewhere… NOW.
School, work, sports, a family dinner, you name it, without fail, the opportunity for a magic moment usually happens when there’s an urgent deadline to be somewhere else.
I think that’s the irony of this whole post. We don’t have time for time.
I write this letter unapologetically and yet with hope that you understand, I do not not value your time, in fact I greatly value it.
I hope my tardiness caused by taking advantage of a magic moment opened up the opportunity for you to have one too.
This picture was taken shortly after a meltdown.
He wanted to go on a nature walk and I said yes because I love them, but I also considered that I might not have the time to go on one by the time I got everything in order.
As he put on his shoes anxiously waiting for me, my anxiety grew at the thought of being late for my other appointment, so I huffed and said “Let’s just go tomorrow! I’m late!”
He was shattered.
And I realized I was disappointing someone who needed me more in this moment.
I shifted my mindset, walked out the door, we walked off our steam and frustration and slowly immersed ourselves in the power of nature.
We explored unique plants, talked, took photos and completely reset ourselves.
And I wasn’t even that late for my appointment.
I’m not sorry I’m often late.
I’m sorry there’s not more time for time.
???
…
