004: ON TIME & PERSPECTIVE
The busyness of everyday life will inevitably become erosive
Here we are, coming up on August 8, the day I say farewell to the quiet time we’ve spent together over this past month as I return back to the messy and chaotic world that is the norm.
This time with both of you will forever be special to me, as I hope it has been for you in some small way.
Graham, we’ve reconnected in a way I didn’t know we needed. You’ve become my morning coffee buddy and you’ve reminded me what it means to use my imagination in everything I do. You’ve exhibited tremendous patience with your mama and me as we navigate bringing Hallie into the world and our family. And you continue to show your sister deep love and affection each and every day.
Hallie, we’ve come to know each other and I’ve come to learn your sounds and facial expressions. Rocking you to sleep everyday these past few weeks has been the highlight of our short time together… and every time I find myself holding you longer than I probably should, but feeling your breaths rise and fall on my chest and kissing your precious head has breathed life into my soul.
This is time that cannot be taken from us, yet time itself will try to steal away this peace and closeness we feel.
The busyness of everyday life will inevitably become erosive… slowly stripping away our agency and peace of mind. But to what end? That’s the question of a lifetime.
The antidote to this erosion varies from person to person, though in my mind it’s universally decided upon by one thing: where you place value.
Hopefully you know and feel where I place value: with each of you and your mama. That’s why this time together has been so liberating, because it’s broken — albeit for a short time — the chains of “everyday life” and afforded us these special moments.
Where you place value will change throughout your life. For now, you place value on playing and exploring, and in the future that will likely change to your education, to your career and later to families of your own.
For me, this time away has been centering. It’s reminded me of why I place value in certain areas and what I should do to maintain this perspective. It’s revitalized our connections to one another and shed light on areas of imbalance.
For you, this time has likely been just another day. But I will use this time to inform our time together and as a lesson for the ways in which time and value go hand-in-hand with you, helping you to move from one phase of life into the next.
Until next time.
Love,
Dad
Written August 4, 2022
Love, Dad, is a real-life series of ongoing letters to my children. While these letters are intended to be read one day by them, I feel that many of us — parents and non-parents alike — can connect with the stories and moments that forever bond us to those whom we love.
Each letter is first hand-written to capture the heart of the message. Things then move to a digital format for substack, and finally each letter is typed using a 1940 Smith Corona Sterling Typewriter and tucked away to be given to my children later on in life.