Brothers In Blog

Earlier this month, my wife and I took our 5-year old daughter to Minnesota to join up with my parents for a week long vacation. The fact that our plane, rental car, and hotel reservations were all in order and no problems were encountered made this trip especially enjoyable. While the primary purpose of our trip was to visit my grandmother and other relatives who still reside in my birthplace, I was REALLY looking forward to seeing my daughter Emma’s enjoyment at the Mall of America in Bloomington.

For my wife and I, this was our third visit to America’s largest shopping mall, and for Emma it was her second but this was the first time that she was big enough to ride most of the rides in the mall’s indoor amusement park. Emma is by no means a newbie to amusement rides. Before turning 5, she had made 2 separate visits to Disneyland and has been to our County Fair 3 times. Each year she gets bolder and jumps on rides that only a year ago she trembled at the sight of. Now, she had her sights on The Park at the Mall of America.

I won’t go into all the details of her thrill seeking experience, but she had a blast! However, the truth be known I had more fun than she did just by being a spectator. Like Christmas morning, it’s seeing the joy on my daughter’s face that revitalizes me and reminds me that “it’s not about me”.

Yes, there was a time when such excursions or special purchases were for me, but all that has changed since my daughter came along. Now, it’s all about seeing her eyes light up with the discovery of something new whether it be watching a bird make a nest in one of our backyard birdhouses or flying down the tracks in an amusement park roller coaster. The decisions I make in life are largely driven about what will help Emma appreciate the blessings that God has given us and want to share those blessings with others as she has seen my wife and me do.

You don’t have to be a parent to understand what it means to put others first. There are many individuals who give of their time to their community, charitable organizations, church ministries, and other family members. However, there’s something about being responsible for a child that brings home the lesson of unselfishness.

Bret’s 2-Cents:

There is nothing more rewarding than the unselfish act of volunteering or helping out where help is needed. Parenthood certainly provides endless opportunities to put others first, but there are many other opportunities outside the realm of parenthood to do the same. The important thing to note is that everyone can help out where help is needed. Not everyone has the opportunity to raise a child. Not everyone has the opportunity to help build homes through a project such as Habitat for Humanity. Everyone, however, has the opportunity to help with simple things such as holding a door open for someone, helping someone fix a flat tire, or making someone’s day a little brighter with a warm smile and a happy “hello.” Every unselfish act makes a difference no matter how big or how small.