One of my earliest Instagrams was a photo of Will in his “mustache” shirt hanging out on a hammock while visiting my brother.
Taken on a lazy Sunday afternoon in 2012, Will said “This is for sleeping on”, as he tried to take a nap. This is a great memory from Will, my most laid back little boy. He definitely has taught me the power of “tactical patience” and not to get too spun up too quickly. We can learn much from him.
When we were in South Carolina for my Captain’s Course, we lived within ninety minutes of both of our families and it was a time that we were able to connect with them after several years of absence. My parents had recently moved to a house behind my brother, so it was a good opportunity for the kids to see my father who was dealing with Parkinson’s disease. We knew during that time that it was important to spend time with him during that trip. My father passed away nearly two years later, while we were in El Paso, Texas.
To see the joy that Will had as he enjoyed spending his Sunday afternoon is a lesson for me to take it easy and enjoy the time we are given. To enjoy our family while they are still around, because sooner than later—life happens: people move away, I get reassigned, and illness and even death occurs. It is important that we take every day and enjoy them to the fullest.