The Ball Doesn't Matter

Before we had kids TJ and I loved going on late night walks in the summer.  It's so pleasant to be out in the cool air, watching the sun set, holding hands, and talking.  With temperatures around 97 during the day, it's just a treat to be out when it's not so hot.  We rarely get out for those late walks anymore: Reed typically goes to bed around 7:30 and we'd rather have him get his sleep and be cheerful the next day than watch the sun set.  So we skip the walks for now.  (I love to remember that life is long - those walks will be back before we know it). 

On an atypically mild evening a few weeks ago we loaded Holland into the stroller and let Reed bring his new orange scooter for a walk.  We're practicing teaching Reed about sidewalks and the road and not crossing without one of us, so we go way out of our way to stop at every street crossing (even in the neighborhoods) look for moving cars (had to add moving in there because that boy sees every vehicle, stationary or not), and then hold one of our hands to cross.  All that to say, it's pretty slow going when Reed isn't in the stroller.  :) 

About halfway through the walk we turned onto a long street where two kids were playing on the sidewalk: they had two tennis rackets out and were hitting a ball back and forth.  Since we were moving slowly we had time to watch them and figure out they were brother and sister, the boy a little bit older, probably around 8 or 9 years old.  We passed them on the sidewalk and after we got about fifteen feet away heard the boy yell to his sister, "Stop!  The ball doesn't matter!"  I turned around to see that the boy - who had been facing his sister - had seen a car coming that his sister was blind to.  When the ball had gone into the street she went to run for it and he yelled his warning (which she thankfully heeded).  It hit me pretty immediately what a wise brother he was and what a profound statement he made.

I've thought about those words dozens of times since.  TJ and I mulled them over the rest of the walk and he actually used that story in church the following Sunday. 

So much to ponder: an older brother who sees things we don't see and warns us - sometimes urgently - "Stop!  That doesn't matter."  Maybe something we're worrying about is simply not significant in the big picture.  Maybe we're spending time on things that are damaging our spirits.  Maybe we aren't looking our kids in the eyes - truly looking at them, devices far away - and giving them our full attention.  Maybe the things we read or watch are pulling us down instead of lifting us up.  Maybe it doesn't really matter the last time the floor was mopped or the baseboards scrubbed or the flower beds weeded. 

Are we taking time to think about what really does matter?  Are we spending time on the things that are consequential?  Don't get me wrong - I don't think the goal is to be going and accomplishing and doing the most possible each day.  But I think it's good to pause every once in a while, reflect, and consider whether we are getting nudges about things that simply don't matter so we can adjust our course.

A few minutes after Holland was born - I love this picture that captures one of those moments when time stands still.  Right here Holland is all that matters.