Be there. Two simple words that are so powerful. Posts by Connected Principals colleagues Lyn Hilt and Dave Meister got me thinking about this once again. With so many distractions in our lives (for me – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Email, SMS, etc), it becomes that much more important to be in the moment, to be there.
Although the following video is a commercial for a cell phone, it is a good, humourous reminder to be there for the moments – and not let them pass by. Next time you catch yourself missing out on a moment, be there. Really? Absolutely.
Enjoy ALL the moments with friends and family this holiday season.
Chris,
The need to find a healthy balance between “being there” for the important conversations and events, while also connecting to the world of social media to learn and improve is essential. For me, I allow my online activity to occur mostly at home when the rest of the family has settled down. More is not always better when it comes to Twitter, blogging, et. al…. I have found the right group to follow and schedule my interaction to happen when I am not needed elsewhere. That is the beauty of the online PLN, it is always there when you have time. Thanks for the post. Enjoy the Holidays and the time with your family, you deserve it!
When I saw that commercial, I thought, this idea would make an excellent blog post!
I agree there are so many distractions in life, especially now, and the important thing in our work is to stay centered and focused on what works for our kids. Like Dave, I appreciate the connections I’ve made with those in my network and am grateful for their amazing expertise every day, but this post is a reminder that it’s important to “disconnect” every now and then and take a look around to appreciate what’s right in front of you!
Thanks Dave, you make a great point about more is not better. It is so easy to be connected all day long and miss out on the important things happening right in front of you. As I now move into the phase of parenthood, I will be looking to people like you who seem to have an effective balance between personal and professional aspects of life. Thanks for commenting!
Lyn, you nailed it… we have to make sure “appreciate what is in front of us”. Thanks for the inspiration and for the reminder!
Hey Chris – thanks for this – I love this commercial – saw it last night at the movies and laughed out loud. This new year I’ve been thinking of being more PRESENT in the transitional moments in my classroom. I can often try to seize the time to send one last email, check out new resources, research ideas for our next pd day… and in a job where we wear so many hats, I am realizing how important it is to BE in the moment… to greet my students at the doorway – to ask how their hockey game was last night as they move on to the Science lab… meaningful moments – desiring more of them. Thanks for your posts! I enjoy them.
Hi Chris. The timing of your post is no coincidence. There are no coincidences. Moving into parenthood is a time to reassess how we are spending our precious time. And moving into Twin Parenthood is more than a double shock. These early years with your little sweethearts is so important and you cannot ever regain any lost moments. Good for you.