I am currently on a 2.5-week vacation in Mexico with my husband and parents; when I tell people that they imagine me sitting on a beach drinking margaritas. While I do love the beach, the real purpose of this vacation is to drive around multiple areas of Mexico to visit family.
I was born in Mexico, raised by my grandparents, and lived there until I was 11—then my family moved to the US. I am so attached to my grandparents that I call them Mom and Dad.
While I do talk to them weekly on the phone and see them via Zoom (when they are able to figure it out) about twice a month, it is not the same experience as being present with them.
One of the hardest realities in my life is only being to physically see them every three years or so, and I only have been able to spend three Christmases with them in the last 20 years.
I was only able to visit with them for a week before we had to go to visit other family members in different areas of the country. Time flew so fast; we arrived and within a blink of an eye we were gone. It’s like that every time I go see them (even when I went for 6 weeks in 2017).
I emotionally struggled for a long time with how fast time moved while I was there. I wanted to cry out to the Lord to freeze time, to make the days 72 hours long. Coming back to the US, I would sink into a small depression, wondering when I will be able to see my aging grandparents again.
I struggled with envy, being able to see other’s fortune to be with their full family during the holidays. I struggled with anger (on my short-lived) volunteering work in an elderly home, seen many forgotten grandparents.
It was not until my long trip in 2017 that God spoke into my heart and taught me to not focus on the little time I was there, but to focus on enjoying the time that I was given during those fast-moving moments. The conversations I had with my grandfather (who has since lost his hearing), the cooking I did with my grandmother (who is now on a limited diet), and all the adventures we went to during that time (when they both could move with much less effort).
Sometimes life moves so fast that we take for granted those precious fast-moving moments. We glorify doing a lot and doing things fast that we forget to slow down and enjoy the time that God gives us to enjoy the precious moments we have with our loved ones.
This week spend some conscious time with your grandparents, your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your children, your best friend. Make time to make some memories: play a board game, make homemade pizza, open a family album, go for a hike, share stories, etc. Make a conscious effort to remember every detail, the weather, the time, the date, those silly conversations, etc. Don’t rush it, times like those are a gift.
Enjoying those fast-moving moments.
Milo
