The Moments We Show Up For
As a mom, but a wife, daughter, sister and friend, I wanted to remind you that life is made up of moments. Sometimes we think we’ll always have tomorrow, but the truth is those moments can change on a dime. Because tomorrow isn’t promised and this is something I’ve been trying to teach not only Charlie but David to.
My family has been reminded of that more times than I would like. Just this week, we said goodbye to my father-in-law. Around the same time, we also lost two of our neighbors. Moments like these remind us how precious life really is and how quickly everything can change. Especially for my mother in law Sherry who was married to David Sr. for 62 years.
Charlie is learning this lesson more and more as he grows into adulthood. Life isn’t always easy. Some days are filled with laughter, celebrations, and excitement. Other days bring tears, uncertainty, and heartache. None of us can predict what tomorrow will hold. That’s why I wanted to share this post with you today.
As we walk through life, we may not always remember every word that was spoken, but we often remember who was there beside us. We remember the people who celebrated our victories, sat quietly with us through our grief, prayed for us, called to check on us, or simply showed up when we needed them most. Those are the moments we show up for.
Showing up doesn’t always require grand gestures. Sometimes it simply means being present. It means making the phone call, sitting quietly with someone who is hurting, attending the school program, cheering from the sidelines, or sharing a meal around the table after a long day. Or just sitting beside someone when they are struggling.
The older I get, the more I realize that time is one of the greatest gifts we can give another person. Life moves quickly. Children grow up. Parents grow older. Friends move away. Pets pass on. Seasons change before we are ready for them to end. That’s why the moments we spend together matter so much.
Some of the most meaningful memories in my life weren’t expensive vacations or elaborate celebrations. They were the everyday moments when someone made the effort to be there. I think about family dinners where everyone gathered around the table. I remember birthdays with homemade cakes, holidays filled with familiar traditions, and ordinary afternoons that turned into treasured memories simply because we were together.
I also think about the harder moments—the hospital visits, the funerals, the unexpected phone calls, and the days when life felt overwhelming. Those moments remind us that showing up isn’t just about celebrating life’s joys. It’s about standing beside the people we love when life becomes difficult.
Sometimes we don’t know what to say, and that’s okay. A hug. A listening ear. A handwritten note. A simple prayer. A quiet presence. Those small acts often speak louder than the perfect words ever could. Years from now, our loved ones probably won’t remember every gift we bought or every chore we finished.
They will remember that we came. That we stayed. That we cared enough to be there. Today, I want to encourage you to slow down and notice the people God has placed in your life. Make the phone call. Visit a family member. Write a note of encouragement. Celebrate someone’s success. Sit beside someone who is grieving. Listen more than you speak. Show up. Because the moments we show up for become the memories that last a lifetime.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates