31 Comments

  1. Penny, that was a very touching post. Sadly, my first instinct when asked about opportunities was to tell you about the consumer panel I was just invited to which will give me $200 in money and rewards for 2-hours of “work”. But you’re absolutely right that real opportunities (missed and seized) are not about money, but about time with our loved ones. I’m fortunate that I get to spend lots of time with my wife, but recently I’ve gotten to spend more time with my mother-in-law as she was preparing for hip replacement surgery (which went smoothly and she’s now in recovery). She’s a very caring and generous person and I’m so glad to have her as part of my family.

    • The consumer panel sounds like a great gig when considering time and money! I’m so glad that you’re spending more time with your mother-in-law, too. Glad her surgery went well!

  2. *hugs* My comment was going to answer exactly the opposite question but I caught myself in time.

    I think that the best thing I did was realizing that I had to just cherish each moment, hard or good, with JB because I didn’t know how many more we’d have to share together. Not in a morbid way, but they grow and change so much in these early years that it’s like having a new or improved person every few months! Or not so improved … 😉

    I can’t think of anything recently, though. Poor memory or stagnation? I DO NOT KNOW.

    Oh yes! I ditched work to spend time at the dog park with my family on the holiday weekend (that wasn’t a holiday for me). That was pretty fantastic even though I felt terrible with my next cold. 😀

    • I was glad to read your comment, Rev, because I often have similar thoughts–love them now because who knows how long I get go–and I struggle to explain how it is not morbid, but it isn’t. It’s a fact that directs my choices.

  3. So sorry for your loss, but glad you have many memories from the time you did spend with your Nana. I totally wish I could have tried her dish, because it sounds amazing.

    For me, I am seizing a good opportunity as I type. I decided to spend the day at home doing some preparation for a future presentation, and while I am getting some work done, I am also relaxing and spending some quality time with my very happy cats. It is a wonderful break in the midst of an otherwise busy and stressful work week. I will probably regret it in a few weeks when the presentation is due and I’m feeling stressed, but in the moment it’s lovely.

  4. It’s really hard not to think about missed opportunities, especially when you’ve lost someone. The best opportunity I ever seized was calling my Nanny to wish her a happy Valentine’s day. I’m so glad I did, because she passed away just a few days after that.

    • You are so sweet for trying to find the dish! If I can come up with a terrible phonetic spelling, it’s some like fro-zhee. I have no idea. Truly!

      And I love that you also have a treat that reminds you of your grandmother.

  5. Geez girl you write well!! I felt like I was reading a book by a published author!

    Your nana sounded lovely. Sorry that she passed away, her memory and legacy lives on. Spending time with family and friends is so important. I mean to spend more time with my mom- I’ll give her a call now, thanks for the beautiful reminder.

    • She was the best. All grandmas are! Thanks for the compliment, too. This post has had enough time to rattle around inside. Everyone once in a while, they just kind of spill out.

      (And I’m glad you called your mom. Such a mom thing to say, but I can say things like that now!)

  6. “In a world so dead set on money, the real missed opportunities are all about time.”

    I hope you’re happy, Penny. You made the eyes of a hideous right-winger well up today. Simply beautiful. If this isn’t Rockstar worthy, I don’t know what is.

  7. Beautiful post, I agree with GYM, man you write well:)
    I had my shares of loses in the last few years and it was a wake up call.
    My kids are getting older quickly and I jump at every opportunity to spend quality time with them (when they let me!)

    • I’m so glad you spend so much time with them. I keep reminding myself that there will be a time when HP is too big for cuddles. I’m trying to soak them all up now!

    • So am I, ZJ! It always makes me smile when people talk about their favorite meals of hers. Mine is the only one that didn’t ever make it onto one of her recipe cards. Ha! Oh well. It always meant more for me!

  8. Oh wow, this brought back bittersweet memories… of my grandmother in a nursing home, and my dad going to visit. I could have gone, I could have hitched a ride with him, but I was leaving to go back to New Hampshire the next day, and I was afraid there wasn’t time. Of course there wasn’t time, because she died shortly after. And I missed the last chance I had to say goodbye. My grandmother cooked for us too, out of love. I’ve started taking Sunday afternoons to make bread. Not folding the laundry, not answering emails for the next day, not doing lesson plans. Making bread for my crew. Hope you’re getting to spend lots of time hugging your sweet baby, Penny. 🙂

    • Losing loved ones is so hard. And it’s so easy to second guess those last moments together. I suppose the real lesson is that it’s about all the times we choose to make bread with the people we love instead. Sounds like are doing Sundays exactly right!

  9. What a beautiful and bittersweet story, Penny, and one that makes me miss my grandmothers even more than I usually do (even though it’s been years-I lost one back in high school and the other my freshman year of college).

    I’m giving up a lot of my time for money these days and I need a good reminder like this every so often that that’s not actually what matters. I did have a friend in town a few weeks ago and took a day off of work to spend time with them. That’s a much better trade-off of my time.

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