What’s Gotta Stay

Though some days may seem long, life overall is short.  The older I get the more I realize the weeks, months, and eventually years fly by.  Like a race, once the momentum gets going, things seem to go by faster with every moment.  Use your time to create as many memorable experiences as possible.

Whether you are single, a couple, or a full family with kids, you undoubtedly have loved ones that are the most important things in life.  These are the people you should be looking to spend your quality time with in ways that you will remember for years to come.  This is especially true with kids.  Those younger years are ones you never get back once they have grown past them, so make sure to fill them with great experiences and memorable moments.

We are going camping this weekend, which is something my family thoroughly enjoys.  I use the term “camping” loosely because I decided to buy a trailer that we pull to our destination.  I have a disabled son who makes it impractical to go overnight as a family in tents, so I invested in a trailer to enable us to get into the great outdoors more often.  With the excuse gone and the motivation to make use of our purchase, we have many family camping excursions planned for this year.  Already our children often recall different times we have been out camping, and I hope to have many more such outings to add to their banks.

Creating memories need not always involve big outings, such as Disneyland or long vacations.  Those bigger events are great and you should take them when possible, but it is the more frequent smaller occasions you should also be looking for.  Here area few small ideas.

• Taking time as a family to fly a kite, even when you are busy with other things.  This is a great couple activity too, not just for kids!
• Play a board game together rather than veg out in front of the boob tube
• Work on a project together, such a building a birdhouse or repainting a room.  Kids love being involved, even if it makes the project a little more difficult for you.
• Make a special trip as a family to get a cheap ice cream cone at the local grocery store
• Take a scenic drive
• Pick out a tree together and plant it in your yard.  Pick a special reason for planting it and revisit that reason often as you watch it grow.
• Go to a local sporting event as a family
• Go on special one-on-one dates with each kid

The list can go on and on, but hopefully you get the idea.  Fill the memory banks with the positive events that shape a child’s (and adults) life.  Nothing else we accumulate in life can compare; you can’t take the rest with you anyway.