A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy nextdoor.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man.  College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way.  In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams.  There, in the rush of his busy life,  Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son.  He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."  Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.   "Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom.  Yes, I heard you.  It's been so long since I thought of him.  I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you.  Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing.  He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said.  "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him.  He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,"
Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown.  Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful.  He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.  Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment.  It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.  The house was exactly as he remembered.  Every step held memories.  Every picture, every piece of furniture....Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box? " Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk.  I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside.  All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone.  Everything about the house was exactly how Jack
remembered it,  except for the box.  He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.  "Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.

"I better get some sleep.  I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died.  Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox.

"Signature required on a package.  No one at home.  Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package.  The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago.  

The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package.  There inside was the gold box and an envelope.  Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.  "Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett.   It's the thing I valued most in my life."

A small key was taped to the letter.  His heart racing, as tears
filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box.  There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.  Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover.  

Inside he found these words engraved:  "Jack, Thanks for your time!  Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days.

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.  "Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

"To the world you may be one person but, to one person you may be the world!"

Very inspiring message Tammy. I received a similiar one when my daughter gave me a bookmark with her picture on it. The inscription reads "The world may be a different place 100 years from now because I spent time with my daughter." Pretty much sums it up dosent it? Thank you very much for your post.

My Dad's advice to me was to stay close to home and even sacrifice some income so that I could properly raise my boys and provide them with the presence (time) they required.  I listened to my Dad.  It was the best advice, of many, that he shared with me.  He did the same as I grew up.

My 2 boys are now grown, on their own, and live far away.  But I still talk to them, probably more often than most fathers do to their grown kids.  I consider that my reward.

Thanks Tammy.  Your thoughful posts are most welcome here.

F.

And this time I couldn't agree more.  A beautiful story, and more important than ever in this world of "multiplexing" and "Faster" and your work IS your life.

The spirit of this dead-on post could never be repeated enough to our increasingly detatched human society.  We so easily get turned inwards by fear and responsibility and information.  Things like this should be said more often, because as Merlin said in the movie "Excalibur", "...for it is the doom of men that they forget".

What it really makes me think of, though, is the ending scene in "The World According to Garp", after Robin Williams is shot and he is talking to his wife as he dies.  

Garp:  "Helen..."

Helen:  "Yes, my love..."

Garp:  "REMEMBER, Helen..."

Helen:  "Remember what, my love?"

Garp:  "Everything..."

No possession and no level of security in life is worth taking time from the people who matter most in your life, and blessed is the person who does not forget this  The times you share with those people are the things most worth remembering.

As I have always said, the best thing I receved from being in this business, was the time it allowed me with my daughter. I worked 2 jobs, sometimes 3 at any given time during the first 11 years of her life. I missed her first step, her first word and her first day of school. All those incredible moments I will never get back.

But I did see her play her cello for the first time as the tears streamed down my face. I was able to take her to her first concert, her first roller coaster ride, I hosted her first slumber party and held her hand as she took her first step into the Pacific ocean. It doesn't sound like much, but they were all powerful moments for us.

Our lives become so busy, we want so much for our families and sometimes our jobs and responsibilities take us away from the ones we love, but they are so much more important in the long run. Our babies grow away from us faster than we can ever imagine.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Cats In The Cradle
Harry & Sandy Chapin

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

 And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
 Little boy blue and the man on the moon
 When you comin' home son?
 I don't know when, but we'll get together then
 You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

 And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
 Little boy blue and the man on the moon
 When you comin' home son?
 I don't know when, but we'll get together then
 You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

 And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
 Little boy blue and the man on the moon
 When you comin' home son?
 I don't know when, but we'll get together then
 You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

 And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
 Little boy blue and the man on the moon
 When you comin' home son?
 I don't know when, but we'll get together then
 You know we'll have a good time then

----------------------------------------------------

I grew up without a father from 12 years old and on. There was
an older gentleman who was retired from the service who lived
on my street. He took an interest in me as I grew into a man.
I was unable to say good bye to him as for duty and county called
upon me, While I was away he passed away, when I did come home
to start life a new I went to visit him, That is when I found that he had passed away. I sat out in my car and cried my eyes
out because he was like a father to me. A lot of who I am today
is because of this most wonderful man. His memory will always
live on in my heart. I rasied two children on my own, My Son has
moved away and my Daugther still is living with me ( only 16 years old) I talk to my children often and I cherish them both.
I know they love me dearly because I have been the best father
that I can be, I have always made time for them and they will
remember this as they age and grow. thanks Tammy great post!

Lass & Tammy you have both spoken eloquently on a subject  that really hits home. I often think of Chapin's song when I'm alone & I hope my boys " have not grown up just like me"  Thanks.

Love you Lass....

Thank you for your kind post. This touched my heart, and reminded me why I started in this profession 2 years ago. This is such a nice letter to put up here. May you do well, and it comes back to you 3 fold.

we all need to appriciate the wonderful things in our lives. I have always thought Our world would be a much better place if at 3:00 pm everyday we all had a soothing cup of tea, a biscut, and took a 45 min nap.  *maybe even with a favorite randy gent*