The Moments that Matter Most

 Our grandkids, Zoe and Coen, are close in age, even in those so-called *angst years* of being teenagers, we genuinely enjoy each other. We laugh, we talk, we do things together. It's easy. And I don't take that for granted for a second.

We've always loved traveling as a family. Those trips hold some of our favourite memories. There's something about the group dynamic - the shared meals, the little traditions that form, the feeling of all being together in one place, even if just for a while. 

But over time, we started to feel something else too. That there's a different kind of connection available when it's just one-on-one. 

When the noise of the group falls away, something opens up. The conversation deepens. The energy softens. They're not one of many. They are the focus. And in those teenage years especially, when they are trying to figure out who they are and where they fit, that kind of time together feels important. 

So Scottie and I made a quiet decision. 

We would take each of them on their own special adventure with grandma and grandpa. 

A few years ago, when Zoe turned sixteen it was her turn. We took her to Toronto. We went to a Blue Jays game, we visited Niagra Falls. Nothing overly complicated, but it was her trip, her interests. Her experience. 

To this day, she still says seeing the Jays play was "the best day ever." And I know it wasn't just about the game or the falls. It was about being seen. Chosen. Having time carved out just for her. 

Now it's Coen's turn.

He's fifteen, and later this week we'll be heading off on a West Coast cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver. It's a short trip - just 5 days - but I've come to realize that it doesn't take long to create something meaningful. 

It simply takes intention. 

We've been talking about what he's been looking forward to, what he wants to do, what feels exciting to him. And I can already feel it - that quiet anticipation building. Not just for him, but for us too. 

Because that's one of the gifts of travel, isn't it? It gives you something to look forward to. It lifts your spirits before you've even packed your suitcase. It reminds you that life still hold new experiences, new moments, new memories, waiting to be made. 

But here's the part I keep coming back to.

You don't actually need a trip to feel that. You don't need a plane ticket or a packed itinerary or even a weekend away.

What we're really responding to is the intention behind it. 

The pause.
The plan.
The decision to step out of the ordinary, even briefly.

So, if you don't have travel plans on the horizon, let me offer you something simple. 

Can you plan something for this weekend - just for yourself or with someone you love - that gives you that same feeling.

It could be as easy as heading to your favourite park with a book and no timeline. Calling a friend you've been thinking about and letting the conversation unfold. Buying tickets to an exhibit that caught your eye. Spending time in your garden, not as a chore, but as a moment to be in it. 

Something small.
Something intentional.
Something to look forward to.

Because that feeling - the anticipation, the presence, the connection - that's the real magic. And it's available to us far more often than we think. 

As we get ready to head off on this next little adventure with Coen, I'm reminded that these moments don't just happen. We create them. And in doing so, we're not just making memories. We are telling people we love, and ourselves:

You matter.
This matters.
Let's live life well. 

Copyright: 2026 Helene Oseen