Last week I told you about watching my grandsons on Thursdays.
About the couch.
The TV at 4:00.
All of us piled up together.
This week, a bit different.
Around 11:30, Wyatt just wouldn’t let me put him down for his nap.
Not fussy.
Not upset.
He just wanted to be held.
Every time I’d lay him down, he’d pop back up like, “Nope. Not today.”
So we adjusted.
The three of us crawled into bed.
11:30 to 2:00.
Wyatt asleep on my chest.
Grayson tucked in close beside me.
Quiet house. Soft breathing. Except for Grayson..he was snoring..not too loud.
No phones.
No schedule.
No productivity.
Just warmth. Stillness. The weight of a small body that trusts you completely.
And as I laid there, I had another thought.
I am incredibly proud of our daughter and son-in-law.
They’ve raised great boys. And maybe we did something right all those years ago.
Kind.
Smart.
Funny.
Wyatt has those little fat roll legs I love — the kind you know won’t last forever. Just this week he is more interactive than last and has a tooth popping out…man…time.
And Grayson — steady, observant, wise beyond his years. Funny.
Those traits didn’t happen by accident.
That’s parenting.
That’s consistency.
That’s love over time.
There are a lot of things I’ll forget in the next few years.
I won’t forget that nap.
They’d been with different grandparents all week. New houses. New rhythms. Good things, but still change.
Maybe he just wanted familiar.
Maybe he just wanted steady.
Either way, I’ll never regret lying there.
Not one minute of it.
Last week I wrote about slowing down.
This week I’m reminded that sometimes slowing down isn’t a decision.
It’s an invitation.
And if you’re wise enough to accept it, it becomes a memory.
3 Things Worth Paying Attention To
1. Pride is earned slowly
Watching your kids raise good humans might be one of life’s greatest rewards.
2. Presence builds security
Being someone’s steady place matters more than we realize.
3. Ordinary afternoons become legacy
You don’t know which moment will stay with you forever. So treat a few like they might.
One Simple Reset (This Week)
Choose one pocket of time and protect it:
30 phone-free minutes with someone you love
sit still longer than feels necessary
hold the hug an extra few seconds
leave the email for later
Don’t improve it.
Just experience it.
1 Book
The Road — Cormac McCarthy
At its heart, it’s about a father and a son moving through the world together — protection, love, steadiness.
1 Quote
“The days are long, but the years are short.”
— Gretchen Rubin
🤝 Let’s Connect
If you’re building something — a business, a family, a legacy — and want to make sure it actually feels like yours, let’s talk.
No pitch.
Just real conversation.
— Brian
Ready to start your own newsletter? Use the link below:
P.S.
Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my new book, The Lonely CEO, on Amazon below!
