Every so often, a media story or clip catches my attention and prompts me to pause and reflect on my life. Like many parents, my wife and I often find ourselves swept up in the busyness of raising three teenagers, balancing work demands, and making time for family and friends. When life’s pressures start to mount, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters, allowing small, insignificant things to drain our energy and mental strength. In these moments, our priorities can become clouded, distracting us from the values we hold dear.
This is what went through my mind when I watched this brief clip from Lithuanian basketball coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius. In it, he is asked by a reporter about his opinion on one of his players missing an important semi-final game to be at the birth of his child. His brief response I believe, perfectly captures my sentiments above – in fact, he puts it far better than I ever could. You can view this short clip here.
I believe this simple message serves as a reminder for all of us to pause and cherish the truly special moments we share with our children. The day each of my three children arrived remains among my most treasured memories—especially Milla, my youngest, whom I ended up delivering myself in the front seat of our Hyundai Tucson on Stock Road when my wife realised we wouldn’t quite make it to the hospital. But that’s a story for another day!
As parents and as a school community, we invest so much into our children’s growth and achievements. However, it’s easy to be swept up by daily routines and schedules, the white noise of our hectic world, and our basic daily human frustrations, and these things often impact the relationships we have with those closest to us. This is especially true for our children as they are the ones who see us at our most vulnerable. Through all this though, we need constant reminders that nothing can replace the joy and wonder of being present for life’s defining moments with them by our side.
Coach Jasikevicius’ message is clear: life’s milestones, especially those shared with family, are what matter most. In challenging times, let’s remind ourselves of what truly counts and how fortunate we are to have our children in our lives.