Yesterday I was blessed to spend some time with a close friend, and her two daughters. We took her five year old and ten month old to an indoor playground. Being that my sons are now adults, and I don’t have grandchildren yet, I had never seen a place quite like this.
It was wonderful watching the children play, and interacting with them. This child’s wonderland was filled with children having loads of fun and most of their parents enjoying their time together. All in all, it was a joy filled time!
There was one little scene between a young father and daughter that saddened me. I am sharing it because in this day and age we are all that father at one time or another. We all miss important, everyday moments.
The little girl was about three years old. She was so cute, dressed in her little sundress, and her brown hair was a little tousled from playing. She was rocking on a little toy horse, and her face was glowing. Her father was standing directly in front of her, and she was beaming at him. Her smile was pure and contagious, and she did not take her eyes off of her daddy the whole time she was rocking. She wanted to share her joy with him.
He never saw her…he was engrossed in his cell phone and never looked up at her. My heart broke in that little minute.
How many minutes, how many opportunities to love and grow in our relationships do we miss each day because we are not living in the moment? How long will we allow ourselves to be lured away from real life by our electronics or entertainment?
This encounter yesterday reminded me of something that happened many years ago between my father and me.
I was probably around seven or eight years old I think. My father was reading his newspaper, and I was lying on my stomach on the living room floor, reading the Sunday comics. My father meant the world to me, and I was chatting happily with him. When I was speaking, I looked up at him while he was answering, “uh huh”…I realized that his attention was on the newspaper and he was just saying “uh huh” every now and then even though he really didn’t know what I was saying. With my young mind I comprehended what was happening, and felt embarrassed and sad.
Funny, how I still remember that.
So, let’s focus on each moment and the precious people that the Lord places in our lives. There are hearts and minds in need of the love, acceptance, and affirmation that only we can give them.
And when we truly learn to live as blessings in the present moment, loving the Lord and his children, we will also be blessed abundantly in our own hearts and spirits.
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