Some moments in our lives are special and that can be for so many reasons. Some will be for grand events or achievements, but others for the simple beauty in a small snippet of time. I got lucky and had one of those just last week.
It was Friday and the fair in my hometown was just starting. My wife and I planned it ahead of time, she would handle our youngest for the night while I took Bailey (our oldest) and one of her best friends to the fair. Bailey was excited, to say the least.
I snuck out of work, picked up Bailey early from school and we drove together to get her friend. It was perfect New England fair weather with the sun shining but still cool enough to be comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. The rides were glowing neon and the game runners were shouting for your attention. The girls couldn’t wait to ride the rides and explore all the fair had to offer.
Throughout the evening, the girls ran from ride to ride and made sure to hit all the “super-fast spinning ones so we could squish daddy like a pancake” according to Bailey. I made sure to keep the food healthy. They ate hot dogs, cotton candy and sugared donuts. They saw the animals in all their glory and laughed at their noises and smells.
As the night unfolded, I couldn’t help but sit back and watch as the two of them had one of those classic childhood nights, the ones we remember from when we were running around as kids. I wondered if she would remember this when she gets older or would this memory fade away as time passes and she has more exciting adventures to enjoy.
We spent about 7 hours at the fair that night and I can’t even guess how much distance we covered walking all over the fairgrounds. By the end of the night it was almost 10PM and the moms were not only wondering when the girls would be coming home but when was dad going to throw in the towel. As night had fallen and while other parents were dragging their kids out kicking and screaming, I was still picking out which rides the girls still needed to go on. By the time we got home, Bailey was passed out in her seat, clutching her bag of cotton candy with the fair bracelet on her wrist.
We always talk about how valuable time is. For the members of our team and the clients we serve, time is our most valuable asset and it can be easy to get lost in the daily grind. When those little moments present themselves to enjoy, we’ve got to grab hold and take them for all their worth. I don’t know when my next one will be, but I’ll be ready with cotton candy in hand…
-Tim
Partner, Spurstone Executive Wealth Solutions