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I walked into to my neighborhood Target this week and had a little moment of panic… There were backpacks and dorm decor, storage bins and school supplies. Everywhere I looked seemed to scream, “Summer’s OVER!” And I felt this little pit in my stomach because my youngest leaves for college NEXT WEEK. 😢 Suddenly my brain started making a list of everything we didn't do this summer. We never floated on tubes down the river. We didn’t play pickleball as a family. We didn’t get a puppy before everyone left for school. And for about five minutes, I just kept thinking of all we didn’t get to do. I was grieving the end of summer - even though it’s not even over yet. (Despite what Target wants me to believe!) Maybe you've done that too. Maybe not about summer, but your focus was on looking back at everything you didn't get done. OR - Maybe you’ve been looking ahead… Planning for the upcoming school year, the new job, the next project, the next holiday. I know I’ve spent lots of time this summer thinking of all Natalie will need for her first year of college. (Can someone tell me how many dresses she REALLY needs for rush week???) No wonder this summer has felt like it’s flown by. I’ve spent so much of it looking backward or looking ahead. And when we do either, we miss TODAY. What I realized is that we don’t usually miss the big moments… We don’t miss Christmas or birthdays or graduations. It's the random Tuesday nights that we miss. The dinner where everyone lingered around the table talking. The spontaneous ice cream run. The glass of wine on the patio with your spouse. Those are the moments that become the memories. And those are the moments that build connection with the people we love. So here's what I'm doing this week, and maybe you'd like to do it too. Grab a piece of paper. (An actual piece of paper - not just the Notes app on your phone!) At the top, write: Before summer ends... Then make four simple lists. For your kids: What would you regret not doing with them before summer is over? Amusement park? Ice Cream run? A day at the pool? For your family: What's one thing your family just loves doing together? Pizza and a movie? The lake? Sushi? S'mores? Don't overthink it. For your spouse: What's one small thing you'd genuinely enjoy doing together? Breakfast? A walk? Sitting on the porch after work? It doesn't have to be fancy. For yourself: Don't skip this one. What fills you up? A good book and a hammock? Morning coffee by yourself? A walk around a farmer's market? Whatever makes you feel like you again. Once you have your lists, pick just two or three things. Maybe one for you. One for your family. One for your spouse. And then this is the important part: Put them on your calendar. Because you all know, we never "find" time. We have to decide what’s worth making time for. Our relationships don’t need bigger vacations or more elaborate plans. They just need a little more time for the ordinary moments to happen. That's what I'm trying to remember this week… There's still time. Not for everything. But maybe a few more dinners. A few more conversations. A few more moments with the people I love. I hope you'll choose a few of those moments too. This week's podcast is all about why we miss the moments that matter most and how to become more present with the people you love. I'd love for you to listen (or watch!). The links are below.
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