Staying home. Staying healthy

Our dad, watching his birthday parade. Photo by Matthew Halbert

These are definitely interesting times for everyone. For some they are terribly difficult. Our hearts go out to those of you who are carrying the heaviest burdens at this time. For many, it is also a chance to spend unprecedented time with family, in both our better and more challenging moments.

We all have an opportunity to capture some of the moments that will be gone sooner than we think.

For example, Lisa made 438 cloth masks. It doesn’t take too long for that to feel uninterestingly routine. Some of what you do may also come to feel humdrum.

On the other hand, our father turned 93, but because he is in senior housing, we obviously could not have a party for him there. So, my siblings who live nearby organized a parade. Yes, a parade through the parking lot that he can see from his balcony. It had grandsons wearing my father’s old uniforms. Cars with signs on them, sometimes people on top, and his favorite songs playing. Princesses of every age practiced their parade waves. There was a toddler fire fighter. A desert tortoise. A neighbor bringing my father’s favorite candy. A horse and rider (don’t even ask how our other sister pulled that one off!). And just what every parade must have—a grandson playing his trombone—while riding a unicycle in a deer suit!

Fortunately, another grandson captured these priceless moments on his camera.

Whatever your days may bring, consider how to capture their uniqueness. Perhaps in photos or videos, daily texts or blog posts, or even a traditional journal or hand-written note. After all, each day happens only once, regardless of whether it feels tediously routine or pricelessly unique.

A trombone-playing, unicycle-riding, deer-suited grandson. Yup, that’s our family! Photo by Matthew Halbert