Today, I froze time.
And, without realizing it, I was doing “homework for life”.
I can explain.
Vacationing for the first time in over two years, I’ve had a tough time cycling down. Try as I might, “being in the moment“ has not been easy, especially of late.
So on the second full day of our family vacation, I asked my 12 year old to take a bike ride with me.
Both early risers, I figured we’d be the first, if not the only people on the beach. The compacted sand and low tide would allow us to ride our rented bikes along the shoreline for as many miles as our legs would carry us.
For me, part of this was about pure father-son, one-on-one bonding time.
And another part of this was about attacking a challenge head-on: getting unstuck, to avoid life “on the surface”, as most people live it.
How many unique examples of what Matthew Dicks refers to as “5 Second Moments” could I see, right in front of me?
”Frozen Moments” from this morning’s beach bike ride:
• Hidden blue herons, turtles, and jumping fish (en route to the beach) • Walkers (solo and together) • Wave watchers • Mediation and prayer • Surfers • Surfcasters • Catches of all sorts: baseball, football, frisbee • Dogs, unleashed, running in circles, into the ocean, and meeting other dogs • Runners, of all ages and fitness levels • Ocean swimmers and waders • Kids digging and building sandcastles • People reading: books and newspapers
• People listening to music • Carefree laughter, murmurs of intentional dialogue, attentive listening • Photographs being taken
• Parents, holding babies, too young to walk
• A Father/Son bike ride (a Dad, who found a way to freeze time).
Nearly 40 days into a daily blogging challenge, I’ve come to discover something really valuable.
I’m not the only one taking efforts to slow down, even freeze time.
In fact, there are lots of people doing this, every day. And, it’s not the big moments, but, as Dicks says, in these 5 second moments.
Here’s the funny thing:
I didn’t seek these moments out. In fact, only after our bike ride had I even heard of Matthew Dicks.
Listening to a conversation between Ryan Hawk and Matthew Dicks, in which ”5 second moments” and “homework for life” were discussed after the bike ride with my son made me realize, there’s a way to freeze time.
The key to freezing time?
Commit to the five minutes of daily ”homework”. Think of the best part of the day and write it down.
Isn‘t investing five minutes a day worth a lifetime of stories, frozen in time?
—————
This post was written on a rainy day, while on vacation. (Everyone else was snoozing or lounging.)
I’m grateful for the pre-rain bike ride, the Learning Leader Show, and this week’s podcast guest, Matthew Dicks.
Timing is everything.
(H/T to Matthew Dicks and Ryan Hawk.)
• Watch: Homework for Life | TEDxBerkshires
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