Don’t Wait: The Precious Gift Of Time With The People We Love

We talk a lot about productivity, planning, and squeezing the most out of our calendars. What we don’t talk about enough is how fragile those calendars really are and how quietly time slips away while we’re busy waiting for the “right moment.” 

Over the past few weeks, life has delivered some heartbreaking reminders. A 45-year-old acquaintance passed suddenly, leaving behind an extraordinary wife and two amazing young boys. Another family lost a husband and father at 72, cancer taking him far faster than anyone expected. In both cases, their loved ones said the same thing: “We thought we had more time.” 

Those words land hard because they’re true for so many of us. We think we’ll make the phone call tomorrow. We think we’ll take that family trip next year. We think the holidays, the birthdays, and the vacations will keep coming around so we can “fit it in” later. 

But we never really know. 

This isn’t meant to be sad or heavy - it’s meant to be a wake-up call wrapped in love. 

Our Parents and Grandparents Don’t Want Much 

They’re not asking for a weekly visit with a homemade pie or a full Saturday together. They’re asking for something simple and irreplaceable: 

• Your voice. 

• Your presence. 

• Your time. 

A ten-minute call a couple of times a week can change everything… for them and for you. Put it on your calendar. Make it the last call of the night or the midday check-in between meetings. It doesn’t have to be deep or meaningful. Share something funny that happened, talk about dinner plans, or simply say, “Just thinking about you.” 

You’ll be surprised at how much you start to look forward to it. 
And they’ll treasure it more than they’ll ever tell you. 

Because no matter how old you are, your parents will always worry, always cheer for you, and always want to hear your voice. Don’t assume the next holiday, the next birthday, or “the next time” is guaranteed. None of us have that promise. 

Stop Waiting to Make Memories 

We all know families who saved for a dream trip, “after retirement,” “once things slow down,” “after the next quarter,” “when the kids get older.” And then life stepped in. A stroke. An unexpected diagnosis. A loss no one saw coming. That dream trip stayed a dream. 

Work will always be busy. 
Life will always be full. 
There will always be bills, deadlines, and reasons to wait. 

But your family dynamic won’t stay the same forever. Kids grow up. Parents age. Loved ones move away. Lives shift quietly until one day the chance is gone. 

So, book the weekend away. 
Plan the family vacation now, not later. 
Make date night a priority instead of a luxury. 
Say yes to the moments you can never get back. 

You will never regret the memories you make. But so many people regret the ones they waited too long for. 

Life Is Fragile But Oh So Beautiful 

This message isn’t meant to scare you or rush you. It’s a reminder that life, for all its unpredictability, is overwhelmingly generous. Chances are good that your life will be long, full, and joyful giving you countless opportunities to make memories with the people who matter most. 

But those chances get even better when we stop waiting. 

Call your mom. 
Text your grandfather. 
Plan the trip. 
Say yes to time together. 
Don’t let life’s most important connections slip to the bottom of the to-do list. 

Because one day - hopefully decades from now - you’ll look back. And you won’t remember the busy weeks, the long meetings, or the perfectly balanced schedules. 

You’ll remember the laughter. 
The conversations. 
The hugs. 
The trips. 
The shared moments that stitched love into the fabric of your life. 

Those moments are waiting for you now. 
PLEASE don’t wait to make them. 

Cheers,

Bethany