Don't miss the value of a moment

Soak it all in.

I use a popular Catholic prayer and meditation app called “Hallow.” I find it helpful and calming, and I genuinely enjoy it.

Father Mike Schmitz, a Catholic priest in Minnesota, is featured on the app. He does a number of things. One of them is his daily homily, which is a short message he delivers in around five minutes.

In August, I listened to one of them about the value of moments and memories. In it, Fr. Schmitz said something that stuck with me.

“Too often, I miss the value of a moment,” he said.

Don’t we all?

One example he used that pertains to others and not himself: Parents are busy and exhausted while raising young kids … then wonder where the time went when 20 years pass. They say it went so fast. They wish they would’ve cherished it more. Their kids were only babies and toddlers once. They eventually realize, “Man, as tiring as that was, it was a really fun time.”

How many times have you looked back on a day you wish you soaked in more than you did? How often have you hated the grind of something, only to appreciate it later? How often have you been too stressed out to look at all the beauty around you in life?

Life moves fast. It’s impossible for us to clock and remember every moment. This isn’t the point. The message is that sometimes we need to slow down and appreciate the memories and lessons in life.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Show gratitude now.

Years ago, I began my professional career in Manhattan – Kansas, that is. I’m from San Diego, so you can imagine how I felt when I arrived in Kansas, with no end in sight. Now, this is no disrespect to Kansas and the wonderful people there – I’ll get to that. But it was a culture shock for me and many nights I simply hoped I would one day make it to a big job.

Well, I did make it to a big job and as I look back, I feel a lot of appreciation for my time in Kansas. Did I experience that at the time? Not as much as I should have. I knew I was there for a reason, but too often I was mired in worry about whether my future would pan out. But eight months changed my life.

I have lifelong friends from there, and we’re in a chat called “Merc dudes” – an ode to our former employer, the Manhattan Mercury. I met another lifelong friend in Brian Smith, a pastor I met when I did a story on how he was a pastor and a basketball referee. And in terms of the job, starting in Manhattan – doing reporting, writing, editing and designing – taught me a level of grit that I took to my larger roles. I always remembered what it took to get to where I got.

I can look back now and say that God blessed me with this chapter. But at the time, I was probably far too young to truly appreciate the moment. I was out to conquer the world, as are most 20-somethings. But I learned.

On the final day of the 2021 regular season, I finished my story – I covered the Mets at the time – and walked outside of the press box at Truist Park. I was looking to move up in the industry, so just in case this was my final Mets game, I took a second outside the press box and looked at the field. I took pictures. I savored the moment. The next time I returned to Truist Park, I covered the Braves.

On certain days as I left the ballpark, in Atlanta or on the road, I would walk slowly toward the elevators. Sometimes I would stop on the concourse. I always wanted to take in the scene and never forget how lucky I was, regardless of that day’s stressors.

As the years progressed, as busy as life became, I tried my best to stay present. I wasn’t always great at it. But I eventually knew that I had done a good enough job of it when a true test came.

In June, my time on the Braves beat ended suddenly and rather unexpectedly. I actually felt remarkably at peace with it. I still do. Though I miss the everyday interaction with the people – the players, the coaches, the public relations staff, the other media members – I felt I truly put everything into the job and tried to appreciate the moments, good and bad. I felt grateful for my moments of pride and I tried to learn from my failures.

I can look back now and say I truly appreciated that part of my life.

Don’t get it twisted, though: I can really stink at focusing on the present moment. In my early 20s, I was far too consumed with trying to “make it” in sports journalism. I assume most people at that age are like this. But I feel grateful that I eventually came to appreciate the journey – its lessons, the people it brought me, etc. – than the destination.

Moments and memories last a lifetime. Soak them in when you can.

Don’t forget to value the moments, big and small, good and bad.