Take the Time for Small Moments

November 30, 2008

I Got a Rock My daughter told her first true joke, and it really taught me a lesson.

Not only was her joke funny - it was a reference joke. She used someone else’s line and made it fresh and original. It was so funny, I didn’t stop laughing for a full two minutes. Then it made me think. And then I wanted to cry for what it meant was happening.

Both of my kids were sitting together sharing a bowl of dry cereal. It was Fruit Loops, and each of them took turns picking out their favorite colors. After a while, my daughter simply said, “I got a rock,” each time she picked up her piece.

I sat listening for a while, when all of a sudden it dawned on me. She is making a Charlie Brown reference! She was three years old and using a movie reference for humor! In one scene of the classic movie, “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” Charlie and his friends go trick-or-treating. At each home, everyone gets great treats in their bag, everyone except poor Charlie. Being the long-suffering character that he is, Charlie gets a rock at each home instead. And every time he does, he simply says, “I got a rock.”

When my daughter said, “I got a rock” with each Loop, she was referencing Charlie Brown, and this bowled me over. It was funny, and it was shocking. It felt like a large siren went off in my head and a voice came over the loud speaker to report on just how fast she is growing up. Can someone please slow down the clock?

I guess what I am getting at is… time flies. Time flies when you are having fun. Time flies when you are not. Time flies when your weeks just seem a jumble of work, school projects, drop-offs, pick-ups, sport practices, and birthday parties. Time does not stand still for anyone or anything. All of a sudden your daughter is cracking you up with her referential wit, and you are standing in awe of her developed sense of humor. It is clearly bittersweet.

And so, especially during this holiday season, I vow to slow down time. Right now, when it feels like there are many other things that are out of our control, things that preoccupy us or cause us worry, is the perfect time to concentrate on the truly important stuff. The only way to do this, of course, is to relish the small moments. To eat Fruit Loops. To laugh. To experience someone else’s laughter. To make time in our busy lives to watch in wonder. And may you get to do the same.

Best wishes for a savored holiday season.

Bookmark this post: