The trouble is
You think you have time
You think tomorrows always coming down the line
And then one day
You wake up and you find
The trouble is you thought you had time
The second verse:
Suit and tie and a fancy job
Big old house, two car garage
He works hard for his wife and his son
An empty seat at t-ball games
Just a sacrifice he’ll make
Make it up, next weekend comes along
Years go by and that day comes too soon
That boy goes off to college, he stands in his empty room
Josh and I have had this discussion a number of times throughout his career since we have had kids. He really got the message when our daughter was about 2 years old and one Friday night he came home (he had been going to trade school during the day and working as night shift foreman at night) and she asked me who he was. He hadn't shaved in a few days and hadn't really been home when the kids were up for a couple weeks. I told her it was Uncle George and she called him that for quite awhile afterwards. Shortly after that, we went and bought a holiday trailer and spent many nights in it that summer camping and spending family time. It is really easy to get caught up in chasing the almighty dollar and making a living for your family and forget to make time for the people that you are trying to make a living for.
The third verse really talks about a problem that is inherent in this day and age and that is our obsession with our phones and forgetting the people we are actually with. We have had quite a few conversations about this as well. I am working hard to make a conscious effort to put my phone aside, away or out of sight when I am with friends or when the kids and I are talking.
Shotgun shells and a tackle box
On the floorboard of a truck
Morning sun burning fog off a lake
Teenage girl and her grandad
He takes her fishing but he feels bad
She can't take her eyes off that Facebook page
But someday soon, who knows how long
She'll look up and he'll be gone
Last weekend, I made a conscious decision to log off of Facebook for awhile. I am a big Facebooker. I like to share, I like to read other people's stories, I like knowing what is going on in my friend's lives. However, I am tired of all the negativity, the constant flow of political posts that have endless comments with personal attacks on people who cannot agree to disagree respectfully. I need to spend my time more wisely and save my mental energy for things that really matter. This post concussion syndrome has really been kicking my butt and I need to step away from all non-vital activities. Facebook is one of them. It's a time sucker. And a lot of what is on there right now is an energy sucker.
Yesterday, I learned that not only do I have post concussion syndrome (PCS), but I have a depressed skull fracture that is putting pressure on my brain. There is also a "little" issue with a pool of clotted blood. All of this means I have to meet with a neurosurgeon and discuss what to do. Do you know what neurosurgeon's do? They cut into your brain. That is about the scariest thing I can possibly imagine. Ever since my CT scan and subsequent conversation with the doctor, this song of Dean Brody's has been running through my head. With some luck and some skilled hands, I will have lots of time. However, it sure makes me think about all the could of, should of, would ofs. It makes me think of the time wasted on people who didn't deserve my time. It makes me think of what I will do with my time now.
Hug your kids, tell your parents and spouses that you love them. Treasure the time you get to spend with people that make you laugh and bring you joy. Do something for yourself. Whether that is riding your horse, going to the spa, taking a trip somewhere or just reading a book. Make hay while the sun shines. Don't take anything or anyone for granted. Get rid of the people who make you sad, hurt you, don't add value to your life. Volunteer, but don't volunteer so much that you don't spend time with your loved ones.
I can tell you this, when you think your days are going to last til you are 100 or whatever you have in your head as that "magic" age that you reach your expiry, you take stuff for granted. I did. I have. I can also tell you this, when you are thinking about the possibility of going into an operating room with your head shaved and a doctor carving into your skull, you think about wasted time and wasted energy. Don't wait until you are facing a terminal illness or a chronic disease or an unexpected diagnosis to contemplate these things.
The trouble is, you think you have time...
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