06/20/2024
Spending 12 days with my son this summer has reinforced a fundamental lesson: time is both fleeting and elastic. We often hear that life is short, and that we must focus on what truly matters – ourselves, our children, our fellow humans, and our planet. Our impromptu trip to Europe brought this lesson to life. Without a fixed itinerary, we visited several countries, savored various cuisines, and marveled at historical wonders. Through this journey, I realized how deeply my son is an extension of me and his mother. Watching him transition from a tween to a teen, I discovered that he loves being a child, which filled me with immense happiness and pride.
During our travels, I taught him how to navigate mass transit in cities like Paris, Rome, Barcelona, and Frankfurt, while he taught me greater patience. I showed him how to recognize potential dangers, and he found humor in the train announcement, "beware of pickpockets."
These days, though brief, felt like an endless treasure. Yet, as we return home, I know I'll yearn for these moments and wish for him to be 12 forever. Quitting my job to look inward and spend time with my children has been the best decision of my life. It gave me 12 unforgettable days with my son in 2024, 8 precious days with my daughter in 2023, the hope to reconnect with my older child child and the guidance to focus my life to a profession that really matters.
