The sleepless nights, the early mornings, the last minute requests. It's the magical time of the year known as the end of summer. The time just after all the last minute work is put in to ensure things are ready to go for Fall in the semester. The time to finally take a moment, a quiet moment, and reflect on everything you've hoped to see.

I saw my boys grow this summer, a lot, and I'm happy to have gotten to be there. I finally started to slow down. Not in the slacking way, but in the focusing energies on the things that I need to, when I need to. I stopped working or thinking about work for those precious moments when I got to see my son realize that the world is not the constraints of the city you grow up in.

When we climbed rocks in the woods, and his face lighting up when I said "Let's go climb that".. "That? We can climb that? We're allowed?!"

The joy in his face, the thrill and "danger" of climbing some small boulders in the Poconos. The memories that I see my son making that were my memories, now, together we share them. It's a wonderful feeling, living in a shifted reality. Experiencing things from the perspective of my father years back, getting to see the pure joy and excitement in experiencing the little things.

The first roller coaster, the first water ride, the first experience revealed going some place new, and the fun associated with not knowing what's around the bend of the twisty carpet slide. It brings me great joy seeing their joy, and it reminds me even more then the nagging in my brain of a few short words: Stop. Breathe. See.

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Stop.

Stop focusing on the things that don't make their world better. Stop ingesting worthless media, social or otherwise. Stop living recklessly, alcohol or late nights working or otherwise. Stop doing anything that takes away from the small moments we get to share together when the devices go down and the emotions shine out.

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Breathe.

It's all gone quickly. Everything. The stresses will pass, and often aren't warrented anyway. Take a deep breathe and let reality seep in and the concerns of what may happen, might be happening or could happen dissolve away in the flow of deeper oxygen. These moments, each and every one are a gift. Embrace them, and you will flourish.

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See.

See what's right before your eyes. See your family growing up, maturing, phases and seasons of life dancing before your eyes. See the amazing people you have in your life. Your family, friends, neighbors. See the world you're constructing for your children and know that one day, through pictures, they'll look back during their recognition of seasons and realize they want to give it to their children too.