It is that time of year again, when Social Media is full of tiny faces, smiling because it is the first day of Kindergarten. Their mommy has written their name and the date in chalk on a board, and they are smiling proudly for the camera. The mother posts in the comment section, that she just can’t believe they are old enough to go to Kindergarten. It seems like only yesterday they were newborns; now, in the blink of an eye, they are starting school.
Families are packing their cars and taking their teenagers to college for the first time. For some, this is their first experience with a child leaving home. They take pictures outside on the front porch at home, for one last time. The car is packed to the roof, and they head east or west on Interstate 40, taking their son or daughter to their destination. As they are driving away from the college, the parents both state they can’t believe their child is old enough to go to college. It seems like only yesterday they were starting Kindergarten; now, in the blink of an eye, they are starting college.
The “blink of an eye” can actually be several years, several minutes, or even several seconds. In life, we have the predictable things, such as a child starting Kindergarten, or a teenager starting college. We also have the unpredictable occurrences, such as a having a relative killed in a car accident, or lost to a deadly disease. Regardless of how it occurs, the “blink of an eye” can leave a hole in our hearts.
It truly does seem that time flies, that it passes in the “blink of an eye”. We can get so busy with our daily routine, that we fail to look at what truly matters, our family and close friends. We can be so busy trying to “get ahead” at work, that we fail to spend time with our family. The truth is, if we died tonight, our employer would clean out our desk and have someone in our place before we were cold.
I believe it would be fair to say that no one on their death bed wishes they had spent more time at work. They are probably thinking “if only”. If only I had seen more of my son’s baseball game. If only I had gone to more of my daughter’s dance recitals. If only I had taken my wife on that vacation she wanted.
It might be a really good idea for all of us to slow down a little and to spend more time with what really matters. God places people in our life. Our family and friends are a special gift from God. In the “blink of an eye” life can change. We should all be intentional about loving those under our own roof.
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