Every moment really does matter!

On the way to work one morning, I was listening to a well-known person who was given the opportunity to speak to thousands (maybe millions) for 30 or 60 seconds. He made the statement that he had been in the business for over 50 years, and I’m driving in anticipation that he will say something that will positively affect my life at least for a little while…but he didn’t. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Do we value the moments (opportunities) we have to make a difference in the world around us…especially in the lives of our children and grandchildren?

I know personally that I’ve wasted many opportunities that have been given to me over the years to make an impact upon my children and now my grandchildren. I certainly wish I could go back and grab some of those moments and have a do-over, but I can’t. Sad to say, what’s done is done and there is nothing I can do now that will change things. I can drive myself into a deep depression, but what’s done is done.

Gee, that doesn’t sound very encouraging, does it? Well, no it doesn’t, but wait! There is hope! The game is not over yet! Even though we can’t go back and rewrite or undo the past, we can do something now to positively affect the future for our children and grandchildren. We can’t change the past, but the future has not yet been written! We do have the amazing gift to do something today that will outlive us.

You heard me right!

We can do something today that will leave a lasting impact upon the lives of those whom we love and care about deeply. I guess that’s why…

I just don’t get it!

Why is it that people seem to talk and talk about the messes they have created – about the mistakes they’ve made – about the people whom they have hurt, and then act as if the game is over? Why is it that people seem to live as if they think there is no more opportunity for them to do good, to impact a life and to leave a lasting impression?

Understand this…if you are still living and breathing, then you still have an opportunity to make an impact! Your life is not over! Maybe it’s only for 30 or 60 seconds like the radio spot I mentioned earlier, but whatever it is, put some thought into your words and your actions.

Ask yourself how you can best use your time. What can you do for the moments given to you that will produce a lasting memory in the minds of the people whom you love? Give it some thought and I’m sure you will be able to come up with many ideas.

As they say…It ain’t rocket science! We’ve been blessed in this day and age with the Internet and it provides a wealth of ideas for parents and grandparents. I just did a quick search and found this impressive article: 101 Things to Do When Kids Say “I’m Bored” See, that wasn’t hard at all.

I guess what I’m trying to say is…

I just don’t get it!

We sit around and complain about what we did or didn’t do in the past, but the real question we should be asking and answering right now is…

What are we going to do now. The game is not over…the final curtain has not be drawn.

The person of whom I was speaking earlier was given 30 or 60 seconds in front of a microphone. He was probably paid more for that brief period of time than most of us make in a week or a month, but what impression did he leave? Not much, as far as I was concerned. My life was not enriched, inspired, or blessed.

You may be given only a brief period of time with your children or grandchildren — for whatever reason, but make the moments count. Put some thought into those moments and they will become memories that will last forever.

I remember hearing the late Robert Schuller say, “Any fool can count the number of apples on a tree, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.”

Neither you or I have any way of measuring the power of those moments (minutes) we spend (invest) with our children and grandchildren. Don’t waste the opportunity. Let’s make the minutes count!

You may not have a lot of time, but you do have some time. Whether it’s 30 seconds, 60 seconds, or more, determine that you will do whatever you need to do to make and create a lasting impact your children or grandchildren. You may not see any immediate results from those moments, but you can mark it down…

You are planting seeds that will bear fruit and you are creating a legacy that will live on long after you have left this world.

Tags: grandchildren, grandpas, memories, moments, value of time