Musings

Priorities

I witnessed this a few nights ago and it struck me for some reason.

A typical New York scene: 7:00pm on a weeknight, the unloading ritual at my Park Slope subway stop, weary commuters ambling off the trains and through the turnstiles to ascend back into the world.

As I begin climbing the stairs, a little boy and his father are walking up next to me, the boy in front of dad. I can tell he’s clearly excited to get aboveground. Approaching the top stair, the boy darts off, running around and yelling some incoherent babble that is all his own, imploring his father to catch him and to come play.

Why does any of this matter?

His father never once looked up from his phone, throughout the entire event. From subway door opening to emerging onto the street, he was transfixed on something more “important” instead (maybe an email or a tweet or some equally momentous distraction).

Sure, I can’t judge. For all I know the kid is hyperactive and runs around with unbridled enthusiasm 24/7.

But one thing was remarkable to me, that we can all learn from: be present. Or else you just might miss the whole world in front of you.