Take Time for Your Family

I spend a good portion of my day very “me” focused.  I’ve got to do this, and I need to do that in order to become better at this.  It’s a very mechanical way of living.  Why does it seem like some great sacrifice to go to the State Fair with my wife and child?  Because I am very selfish.  For one thing I don’t really like going to the fair.  I’ve been able to avoid it the last 5 years or so.  I’m not into fried twinkles, oreos, or any candy bar you can fry.  It’s kind of expensive and I get sick on something as simple and wimpy as the carousel.  I know, lame.  Some people just aren’t cut out for the fair.  I decided it might be more fun to take my camera and capture some of the things that were going on at the fair (aka, my way of checking out and doing something I love so I don’t really have to stomach the fair or engage with my family).  Yikes.  I don’t want you to think that I am some pessimist who can’t stand to be around his wife and daughter.  Sometimes I just get into selfish mode and don’t really think about the fact that this would be Afton’s first experience at the fair and that this adventure was not about me, my camera, or my ego.  This trip was all about Afton and her having fun.  Becoming a parent is an interesting thing because you go from being young and everything being about you, to realizing that not everything is about you, to then concluding that nothing is about you.  It’s my job to love and serve my girls (Katie and Afton).  My encouragement for you today and every day is to go outside yourself, think about what matters most and act upon those urges.  Sometimes I will literally tell myself, I will do a better job tomorrow, or I will make it up tomorrow by doing something really special.  Empty words, empty promises, and excuses.  Engage right now, because our kids aren’t going to be this age for long at all.  I’d much rather be a part of my family’s lives and make mistakes than to be disengaged and regret it later in life.  I got some good shots of what was happening, and some cool Ferris Wheel photos as the sun was setting, but it wasn’t at the expense of spending some quality time with my family.