Day 11: Important Things Don't Have Price Tags
by Edward Smith
16 Jul 2020
Free Up Your Time. It's Free!
In my other article 🤠How to Know When Your Goal Isn't Even About You. I talked about kids, and how your kids take note of everything, including what you do, and what you don't do. My kids are super great at reminding me that life looks very different from their perspective.
They are the teachers and I am the student. I see clouds. They see giants and dragons. I see a dead leaf on the ground, they notice the one thousand tiny hatched eggs that were hiding and clinging to the leaf's under carriage.
How do I know? During those moments, I'm present. I'm not driving to the store, I'm not shuffling past grocery carts ignoring my surroundings I'm there, living it with my kids at the moment. We're talking, Questions are being asked, and I'm the one being asked to answer the questions. They see the stuff I miss, and they bring attention to it and get us to talk about it.
How to Grow Connections
For instance, as I'm writing this article, my eldest son just ran past me, and announced to the world that he needs his watering can filled up so he can water his garden out back.
We have a small plot of dirt in the backyard, and he has a small crop of cat grass, cat nip, and turnips. I helped him plant everything, even though I'm not a gardener. I just wanted to be there, and I wanted us to do something together.
He remembers that. The garden is important to him now.
My son is super interested in looking at all of his plants, because he often finds spiders and ants hiding or crawling around on them. He's curious to know if he'll find something new that he hasn't encountered before. He finds the bugs interesting. I know that, because I'm there with him, and I watch him.
Withdrawing Distraction To Deposit Love
As an adult, I want to keep myself busy doing adult things. I want to budget my time effectively. I want to be important, and important people stay on task and get things done.
I'm important right?
My kids think I am. To them, I'm vital. My kids depend on me. I even get to declare them as dependents on my taxes.
To ensure my kids get what they need, some things will need to happen today. I will need to help them fill up the watering cans so they can water their plants. We'll need to get dressed up and go outside.
My eldest son wants to go to the park, and see the large tree that fell down across the pathway. His brother has been talking about it. It happened during the last big storm.
He also heard about the baby turtle that was swimming in the creek. His younger brother went on a walk with me yesterday and we saw all of this stuff. It was his birthday. His birthday wish was to go on a walk with me. Just him and me, walking around, poking sticks at strange things outside. Best birthday ever!
Conclusion
When I'm present. I'm the best person I know how to be.
I learn stuff and can talk to it. That's why this challenge matters. If I'm not worrying about the silly grown up stuff, like overspending money, I've got more time to be my kid's dad.
Being present is how I learned that my older son is completely obsessed with our cat. He knows where she sleeps, where she meows, when she last had a cat treat, and whether she was playing with her mouse toy.
You can't buy that stuff with money. Investments are important, but they are only important because the idea behind them, is later on they will help free up your time so you can use that time in better ways. The knowledge you gain from being present can't be purchased with money. The only way you get it is to be present. That's the cost.
Being present keeps you young, and it keeps you important.
Except in this case, you're important for the right reason.
Go be Important!
Spend some time with someone that you love.
It's the best investment that money can't buy.
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