Boulders, Little Boys, And Glistening Creeks A Pilgrim’s Odyssey

Home from work, my wife asked me to walk down to the creek with her and our youngest, Julius. The weight of the world made me feel as if I had no time, but I had time. Thankfully, I listened to the better angels and took that walk.
My wife was sitting on a boulder overlooking the creek when I arrived and Julius was sliding down the mud bank into the water. The sun danced off the budding green leaves of the spring trees. We spoke little but laughed a lot.
The entire episode took maybe 15 or 20 minutes. A priceless small slice of the day. Why do I let them happen so infrequently?
I’m reminded of Ecclesiastes 4:4 - “And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Julius is 4. What does he care about fame and fortune, the opinion of others? He cares about mom and dad, brothers and sisters, family and friends that loves him. Everything else is meaningless. Why can’t I remember that?