Looking Back, and Forward

Audio By Carbonatix

One thing that I find really helpful as I engage with my grandkids is that I try to remember what life was like for me when I was their age. What I mean is that I think about the significant memories and people who impacted my life as I was growing up. And then I work to do similar things and play a similar role in my grandkids’ lives.

For example, I knew that no matter how chaotic life was at my house as I was growing up, my Grandpa Seaborn would bring a sense of joy and lightness whenever he came around. He was loud and funny and encouraging. And he was wise and had a great perspective on life. So, now that I’m the adult, I work to be that same kind of person in the lives of my grandkids and the other kids in my life. I want to pass along a legacy of fun and joy to the next generation, just like my grandpa did for me.

Another impactful adult in my life was my mom. She would constantly tell me that she was praying for me and she would encourage me to develop my faith and grow closer to God. So, now that I’m the adult, I make sure to talk with my grandkids about the different ways that faith impacts their (and my) day-to-day life. I want to pass along a legacy of faith to the next generation, just like my mom did for me.

I also have other people and other moments that I can look back on and find inspiration in. But instead of me spending more time going down memory lane about my own life, I want to encourage you to take a look back at your life. Who played a meaningful role in your life as you were younger, and how can you work to play that role in somebody else’s life right now? Looking back can give us some great clarity on how we want to move forward.

And I know that we’re all dealing with adult responsibilities and different things competing for our time and attention. But if we think back on our impactful memories as we were growing up, that was the case for those people too. I know that my mom and my grandpa had a lot going on and they were being pulled in a number of different directions. But they still made sure to show up in my life in ways that were hugely meaningful for me. I want to have that same kind of impact on the next generation, and I bet that you feel the same way about the kids in your life!

So, let’s be intentional about showing up for the kids in our lives in the ways that we know we needed when we were young. Whether those kids are your own children, your grandchildren, your nieces or nephews, your neighbors, or your friends’ kids, we all have the opportunity to show up and impact the lives of the kids around us. When we use our time, attention, and energy to impact the next generation, we’re making a difference and we’ll be winning more often at home.