As I walked through the living room this morning collecting trash from last night’s apparent frat party, this whiteboard suddenly caught my eye.
I stopped to read the top and it took my breath away.
As I wrote about on the blog yesterday, I’ve been trying to create intentional moments of connection with the boys. Realizing that I cannot stop life to be with them 24/7, I’m simply taking pauses where I can, to connect. Yesterday during lunch I asked the boys if they wanted to play a game or something together. Noah and I decided to play a game of cards. While I was cleaning up the final dishes, I looked over and saw that he’d erased my family “to-do” list on the whiteboard and written something at the top.
My heart sank.
My brain is too full to remember anything so I’d been scribbling notes there for the last few days, of things we needed to do before school started. With a disappointed tone, I said, “Noah, did you erase my list??” He looked up, with the shock and shame that my tone clearly elicited.
“I’m so sorry, Mama. I wasn’t even thinking.”
I told him it was alright, but went on to tell him how important some of those things were and I needed a few minutes to try to recreate the list. I quickly grabbed a piece of paper, trying desperately to remember. Alas, I could only recall two of the things. I don’t remember what happened next, but clearly, one thing led to another, and we never sat down to play cards. And if I’m honest, I completely forgot. Until I saw the whiteboard this morning.
Noah — Mamushka
He’d set out the cards and erased the board, to get ready to play with me. (Mamushka is the name he calls me when we’re laughing and having fun.) My 13-year-old man-child was ready to play with his mama and I got so distracted by my to-do list that I completely missed the moment. Tears filled my eyes and my heart was (is) so heavy. It wasn’t intentional of course, but it was such a clear reminder of how easily we can put things off and before we know it, tomorrow becomes today.
“The problem with waiting until tomorrow is, when it finally shows up, it’s called today.” – Jim Rohn
It’s so easy to put the most important things off until tomorrow. The important things that aren’t urgent, like intentional moments with the people you love, sometimes get pushed down to the last thing on your to-do list. The phone call to mom or dad, the text to check on a friend in need, the apology to your spouse, snuggles with your kiddos, coffee with your girlfriend just to connect, or a round of cards with your teenager.
The problem with tomorrow is how quickly it becomes today.
Do the important things today.
Now, if you’ll pardon me, I have a round of cards to play . . .
to more love,
Crystal
