Dear Younger Fred… one day, they won't need you anymore... ❤️
That sounds a little sad…
But I think it's something you need to understand.
Look at this picture...
Briar strapped to your chest… completely dependent on you.
Matthias holding your hand… because right now,
Dad's hand is still the hand he wants to hold.
And it got me thinking about my own childhood.
Funny thing is… I don't remember how busy my parents were...
I don't remember what they earned that year...
I don't remember what was sitting in their bank account...
What I remember are the little things.
Being together.
Family dinners after karate class/school.
Helping our family build a deck.
Laughing about something silly, like blowing on a blade of grass to make a buzzing sound...we all did that right?!?!
Things that probably felt completely ordinary to them…
but somehow became memories that stayed with me.
And Fred… that's when you realize something.
You're on the other side of it now.
You're the DAD!
These random Tuesday nights… trips to the park… walks where Matthias grabs your hand to see the sand… carrying Briar around when your back is already sore 😂…this is THEIR childhood!
And you have absolutely no idea which moments they're going to remember.
Maybe that's the beautiful part...
We spend so much of adulthood thinking the memorable moments need to be created.
The big vacation.
The perfect birthday.
The expensive experience.
But think about your own childhood…
were those really the things you remember most?
Probably not.
It was usually something incredibly ordinary.
And that's what this picture reminded me of.
One day, Matthias won't reach for your hand.
One day, Briar won't fit against your chest.
There won't be an announcement and nobody tells you…
"Hey Fred, this is the last one."
It just happens.
And that's okay.
That's exactly what growing up is supposed to look like. ❤️
So Younger Fred…
keep working hard.
Keep chasing the things that excite you.
Keep building a life you're proud of.
But every once in a while… look around.
Think about your own childhood.
Chances are, some of your favourite memories weren't expensive.
They weren't planned.
At the time, you probably didn't even know they were special.
They were just ordinary moments with people you loved.
And now… you're the parent in those moments.
Maybe that's one of the great ironies of getting older.
We spend so much of our lives working for the things we think will make life better…
only to realize that some of the best moments in life rarely cost you a damn thing.
Just your attention. ❤️
Baaaaam — that's it for today.
See you next Thursday!
Stay curious,
Fred
