This Magic Moment...

As a parent, I spend a lot of time taking care of my children. When they were very small that meant changing diapers, bathing, spoon feeding, etc., but as they've gotten older things have shifted to more of an overseer/coordinator/consultant role. One thing that hasn't changed is the task of making them feel special. I believe that's one of the most important roles I have as a parent.

Why else would we plan elaborate birthday parties, take them on special vacations, and go crazy buying Christmas presents? We want them to feel special, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. The hope is that someday they'll marry someone who will take the lead in accomplishing this task, but for now it rests first and foremost on my wife and I.

With this in mind, I recently spent some time contemplating the way significant life experiences are perceived by children as opposed to adults. For example, the fancy birthday party I put on for my 5 year old might not even make it into the bank of memories she has as an adult. I have a pretty strong memory when it comes to things from my childhood, but I don't remember any actual details from more than a couple of my birthday parties, and I know my parents put plenty of effort into making all of them special. This realization was a little depressing at first. If they're not going to remember it, what's the point?

Then I figured it out. Even if each of those special moments might be forgotten eventually, in the short term they serve to strengthen the bond between parent and child and propel them to whatever is next in the relationship. I think we should learn to view these things more like stepping stones. I love photos and videos and I'll continue to take them, but I'm now keenly aware of how much they've skewed the way we view this aspect of life. How old is humanity? How long have we had photography?

This has had a significant impact on my relationship with God. Since I'm His child, the scenario laid out above is reversed in our relationship, so I'm learning to enjoy moments for what they are and let that be enough. Sometimes there's something deeper and more significant going on, but not always. Sometimes a beautiful sunrise is there just for me to enjoy, and for me to walk away from feeling that much closer to Him. I might not understand how it fits into the "master plan" and I might not even remember it a couple months from now, but that shouldn't stop me from taking in the moment.

It's not about hanging onto to every part of the journey as much as it's about who we're on the journey with.