The time God gives us should be lived to the fullest

By Pat Arensberg
For The Catholic Week
As we get older, there is a growing understanding that our time on the stage of life is approaching the final acts.  I find myself wishing I could go back in time and hold each of my children as toddlers.  I miss those hugs.  I miss being young and being able to put socks on effortlessly again.
I have been very blessed.  I have a beautiful wife and five fantastic children.  I still think of those five people as babies when in fact the youngest is a teenager.  My second-oldest daughter got married Dec. 29. Her husband seems to be a good man, a man of faith and a man who loves my daughter.  The wedding was joyful, but also sad in a certain way.
Here’s the thing; I don’t want to spend the next years of my life wishing I could go back.  Whatever time God blesses me with should be lived to the fullest.  I now have time to draw closer to God.  I have the chance to spend time with my children now.  I can be holier and be a better example for my children, coworkers and strangers I interact with.  We all need to be careful to keep our gaze focused on the present.
If we are not mindful, we will find ourselves at age 30, wishing we could go back to our teens, or find ourselves at age 50 wishing we could go back to our thirties. We should seize the day, “carpe diem,” as the old saying goes, but it is hard to carpe the diem if we are looking behind us. If we are really being honest with ourselves, every part of our lives are filled with highs and lows.  I miss holding my children, but of course that time brought about its own challenges. Being a parent is a dirty job and I cleaned plenty of messes, especially when kids got sick. 
Now, let’s enjoy this moment because we only live one life.
— Pat Arensberg is the Director of the Office for Evangelization and Family Life.  Email him at [email protected]. For more information concerning the events of this office, visit us at mobilefaithformation.org