This last weekend my brother-in-law invited our family down to Crystal Lake in Keystone Heights to spend the day at the lake house to do some fishing and boating. I told my wife that I really wanted to spend most of Saturday working out of my home office because the market is tight and competition is tough. You have to work twice as hard in order to get the same result in this marketplace.

Well, Saturday morning my wife broke it to the kids that I wasn’t going to the lake house with them.

Pure disappointment.

My wife told the kids, "Go, say bye to your Father and don’t make him feel bad because he needs to work." The kids came into my office holding back the tears not saying a word and they both gave me a hug. My heart broke. I told my son, Jordan…."Do you want daddy to go with you?" He nodded his head yes.

I said "Ok, daddy will go."

Meanwhile, inside I was thinking, "What did you just say? What are you thinking? Now, is no time for fun but for hard work and providing for your family. "

About then Jordan looks up at me and says (like only a 4yr. old boy can):

"Daddy, you don’t care about not having any money?…..no, I know what you care about daddy, but I don’t want to say." He started to walk out of the room.

I told him to come back in here and tell me what he was going to say and he said, "You care more about us , Daddy."

I was stunned. What a big decision I just made without even realizing it. My kids don’t always see my hard work as a language of love. They spell love differently. They spell it T-I-M-E. I had the best Saturday that I had in a long while enjoying time with my kids and those I love.

So, you know what I say to the recession? This too shall pass…..but family memories will last forever.

Spend time with those you love it will make the current struggle all that more bearable.

Recommended Reading: Simplify My Life