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{Yeah, I need a photo here, but I have to get the right one.  I hope you enjoy anyway. – greg}

I made it important, a priority you could say.  I told Liza, not only was I going, but I wanted to go.  I love to see their faces.  The smiles of accomplishment and knowing dad saw it.  They look up at the windows to see if I saw it.  I wave.  They always, even if shyly, wave back or at least give me that “daaaadddy” smile.  They get better each week.  I love to see it, their improvement, the confidence, the smiles.  I do it for them…and for myself.

And then I looked around.  One lady reading a paperback book up next to the wall, beside her a lady angry cuz she just dropped her iphone in her sons bag of Cheetos, next to her a lady using her smartphone on pinterest, the next on facebook selecting new friends from a list, the next texting on her pink-covered iphone, the next lady breastfeeding (ok, I will give her a break), the next reading “Time” magazine (what, they still print Time?), the next again texting.  You get the pattern and this is just the 1st eight. If you priority was to just get to gymnastics, drop the kiddos off and roll upstairs to text or read, you all nailed it! Even the “at least it’s Cheetos and not water comment.”

But you missed something.  Something that mattered.  You missed the leg-spreading jumpy motion on the trampoline, the twirl over the high bar (really lowered, heck they are just 4, 6 and 7), the hop-scotch and the duck-duck-goose.  You missed the grace in all of their awkwardness.  And you missed the smiles, the reassurance that “yes, I see your awesomeness.” Frankly, you missed them. Not my “them”…oh I saw all 3 of them and their awesomenesses (yep it’s a word now).  But you missed your awesomenesses.

Have you done this before?  I have.  Feeling a little guilty?  Engage.

In the rat-race of life, we are always being tugged.  But there is always time for that which we deem most important, our priorities.

Set your priorities right and you will have dramatic impact.

Make excuses or set the wrong priorities and your results will be weak, non-existent, possibly even negative.

So for a little challenge from my open observation at gymnastics, when you wake up tomorrow, see the awesomeness in your kids, the people around you and even yourself.  And the smartphone…maybe dumb it down a bit and actually engage with the people around you.  Celebrate the awesomenesses!

- Greg

And to the 3 little ladies I watched jump, balance and tumble in your magical grace, you all have amazing smiles.