365 Lessons: #5 Time Flies Whether or Not You’re Having Fun…Might As Well Have It!

365 Lessons

(Critical Thinking About What The World Is Teaching Me Every Day)

#5 Time Flies Whether or Not You’re Having Fun…Might As Well Have It! 

[Lesson Break Down]

Life is relatively short.  Having fun, being happy, taking risks, exploring, and staying positive are all things that make people feel good.  People should do those things as much as possible.

I was having dinner at my Aunt’s house this evening.  It’s been a tradition to have dinner with my extended family (specifically at this Aunt’s house) from the time I was a kid.  I’m not a kid anymore.  In fact, I have two kids of my own.  For all practical purposes I’m a adult.  As we were wrapping things up my Aunt turned to me, looked back and forth between me, my wife, and my boys (running around in their pajamas at this point) and suggested, “You look so grown up.”  Then, with her hand at about hip height she pointed out, “I remember when you were about this big.”

This is nothing new, and certainly no profound discovery, but today I was reminded that life keeps moving…and relatively quickly at that.  It helped me think about the fact that I’m happiest when I’m enjoying the moments with friends and family, or working on an exciting project, or reaching some milestone or breakthrough with one of my students or colleagues, or reading a great book, or eating Greek street food, or writing, or resting peacefully on a hammock, etc.

Sounds pretty simple.  However, I sure do waste plenty of time not doing those things!  Granted, there are some moments that I HAVE to be doing something else for some important reason but there are plenty that I stubbornly waste.  I need to remember that I can decide not to.  As a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, an uncle, and a teacher, I also need to remember that I can help others perpetuate their greatest moments and that my effect on people will be most beneficial to all involved when I remember to work on doing so.