PRIORITIES OF SUMMER

------------ BY PATRICK ADAMS

TRADITIONALLY, “SUMMER” doesn’t change much for me. I prefer the cold over the heat, so there’s that. Where we live, there is a lot less traffic (for some reason that nobody can explain), so that’s a bonus. Other than that, it’s business as usual. Go to work, handle the “honey do” lists, and go through my somewhat habitual OCD routine.

I’m grateful to have many people in my life that I respect and who, whether they realize it or not, I listen to. Many are part of this great industry. Of the countless bits of wisdom they have shared that have positively influenced my life, the almost constant is “Spend as much time with your kids as you can because they’ll be grown before you know it.”

Of course, I see this (and so have each of you in the monthly pics) as it seems just yesterday, my “little girl” was actually little. But almost in a flash, they aren’t so little anymore. I’m proud of the people they are, and are becoming. While they do drive Mom crazy at times (especially over summer), they are good kids with good hearts and far too advanced senses of humor. I cannot say enough how proud I am of them, and how surprising it is that these good kids are mine (probably more to do with their mother, but I’ll take a small bit of lucky credit).

So this summer, I decided to follow those wise friends’ advice. Starting even before summer officially began, we’ve had a summer packed with family adventures. I’m trying to balance a bit of remote work, while packing my office days full when I’m there to keep everything moving forward. While I feel ashamed of reporting to my team that I’m off to another family adventure, they all smile knowingly and sincerely say, “Have fun and don’t worry about a thing.” Needless to say, I am blessed in so many ways that I can’t begin to count.

We’ve been camping a couple times, with a couple more planned before school starts. We’ve been fishing a few times (with no record catches to report), been hiking and to the beach (with the sunburn to prove it) and just got back from a “work event” in Coeur d’Alene where I decided to bring them along. We rented a boat and the kids went tubing behind (more like dragged by a rope), along with a few other adventures. My son finally conquered how to ride a bike without the safety of his training wheels, and I was there to see it. He now rides non-stop… just like his Dad did as a kid.

When we’re at home, I can see them growing up before my eyes as we pass through our daily routines. But, when we’re “out” and I see them being kids—laughing, playing and being the goof balls that they are—time stands still, and they don’t seem so big anymore. It’s a reminder of how precious this time is, and how much I too have grown because of them. I think I’m more patient now; I think more and react less. I think more, not about what could be, but what is and what used to be. I worry less, not because I’m less aware of what could happen, but because I no longer let it rob me of the joy of these moments in front of me now.

We all talk about “priorities,” but I rarely see actions that reflect those spoken priorities and instead, see behavior that would have you believe that everything is a priority. This summer, I made my family a priority because I’ve learned to trust those around me. When they say not to miss these times, to make my family a priority and to delegate and trust my amazing team, I decided for once to listen. Because of this, we’ve made memories that will last a lifetime and perhaps, delayed them growing up even if it’s just for a moment.

I hope everyone has taken some time this summer to make something important a priority, and to make memories that will last a lot longer than what we usually prioritize. As we are constantly reminded, there are no promises of tomorrow and we must take a moment to cherish what is in front of us today. Have a wonderful summer and as always, I am so grateful for each of you and for serving this great industry of ours.

PATRICK S. ADAMS, Publisher/President padams@526mediagroup.com