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What’s Really Important

March 1, 2015 By Lauren

What's Really Important

What’s Really Important

I’m staring at my phone when he opens the driver’s door. He climbs in, drops two paper bags onto my lap, and backs out of our parking spot. I take a moment to place them at my feet, then return to my reading.

As we pull out of the parking lot, he remarks, “What’s so interesting on Facebook this time?”

“I’m not on Facebook,” I tell him. “I’m reading a post that a guy wrote last year right after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.” I pause, then with voice quivering add, “He died today.”

We pause at a red light, waiting to turn and he says, “If you know that, why would you read it?”

“Because it reminds me of what’s important.” I’m surprised by how immediate my answer is, said without thought or hesitation, but at once, I realize it’s truth.

And I realize the irony too, as we turn and I go back to my phone, ignoring the loved ones around me as tears roll unabashedly down my cheeks.

I finish reading and think of his wife and his children and the life he lived and the life that they must now live. I look to my left at the man driving me home and I think of the three children we’ve made together. So I put down my phone, tuck my hand around his arm, and choose to live this moment for what’s really important.

Filed Under: Family Life, Parenting Essays Tagged With: death, family, important, life, Oren Miller, remember, reminder

About Lauren

If you enjoy picture-perfect home decor, perfectly prepared recipes, and perfectly behaved children, you've come to the wrong place. Meet Lauren. She isn't perfect, but she's perfectly real.

Comments

  1. Kristen says

    March 2, 2015 at 7:12 am

    I haven’t read the article yet, but I’m about to. I see that it went viral….but yes, what really matters is our family. Beautifully written.

  2. Savanna says

    March 2, 2015 at 8:36 am

    Sometimes we caught up in all we are doing… Taking a few moments away from technology and just enjoying loved ones is so important, yet not always what we think about doing! Great little read to put things perspective- thank you!

  3. becka says

    March 2, 2015 at 9:43 am

    Perfectly worded. I agree that sometimes we let our world become over powered with things that don’t matter and we end up missing out on some of the good moments.

  4. Becky says

    March 2, 2015 at 11:52 am

    Very sweet post. Thanks for the reminder to live in the moment and put down the electronics!

  5. Echo says

    March 2, 2015 at 2:15 pm

    This is a wonderful post. I was so sad to read about Oren, but it did make me think about what is truly important.

  6. nicole says

    March 2, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the small “snapshots” of life. sadly, sometimes harder to see the big picture.

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About Lauren

If you enjoy picture-perfect home decor, perfectly prepared recipes, and perfectly behaved children, you've come to the wrong place. Meet Lauren. She isn't perfect, but she's perfectly real. Read More…

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