Making Up for Lost Time
A friend of mine and his 12-year-old son went crappie fishing the other day. They were up before daylight and headed out to Dad’s favorite place to go crappie fishing. It was the first time he had taken his son fishing. Dad was always too busy, or he took his friends instead of his son.
They got the boat into the water just as the sun peeked over the hill. It reflected in the sparkling water. As they entered a cove, the son saw an eagle already out fishing. A heron was fishing too. He noticed an otter sitting on a log, enjoying his breakfast. Then he saw a deer at the edge of the water, sipping a drink. He heard birds singing in the treetops.
The son took out his smartphone and started taking pictures of everything he saw. The young man smiled as he took it all in. The dad told him to put his smartphone away; they were there to fish, not take pictures.
The inquisitive son asked questions about all the electronics on the boat and how they worked. Dad told him to quit talking so much and concentrate on catching fish.
After a day of off-and-on cool rain, a lot of talk from the boy, and a few crappie, they drove home. The first through the door was the father. The mother asked, “How was it?”
“Okay”, he said, “It was kind of cool, and it rained on us some. We got a little wet. The crappie were not biting very well. We caught a few. It was disappointing, I guess.”
Then, he left the room to change clothes.
Pretty soon, the son came through the door, and the mother asked him the same question.
“It was great”, said the boy, “Dad and I spent the whole day together. We didn’t catch our limit of crappie, but we got enough for a meal.”
He took out his smartphone and showed Mom the pictures he had taken. He described to her the beauty of the sun on the water. He told her about the eagle, the heron, the otter, the deer, and the birds. His eyes sparkled as he told her. Mom smiled.
The boy walked off beaming with pride and satisfaction that he and Dad had gotten to spend the day together fishing.
I guess it is all a matter of perspective.
As I wrote this story, I paused and wished my Dad had taken me fishing. I wish that he had spent more time with me. I honestly don’t have any happy memories of time spent with my Dad. I realized later that it was not his fault. His Dad was like that, too.
Maybe that is why I did my best to make as many memories with my sons as I possibly could. They did the same with their kids. I have no doubt they too will pass it on to their kids someday.
How about you?
The most important thing you will ever do with your kids is spend time with them. I don’t care how old they are. I don’t care how busy you are. It is never too late to start making up for lost time.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can
determine how it will be spent. ~ Carl Sandburg, American Poet
