When Our Paths Cross Less

A prayer to be present in the moments that matter most

Our paths cross less today.

I gazed at a black and white photo of parents smiling at the camera while their toddler looked back at them, smiling. There wasn’t a smart device in the frame. What I did see was happiness—the joy and simplicity of being together.

They were strangers to me, yet I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. I saw my years as that child…and then as that parent. I flipped through my own memories—not captured on a device but held in my mind.

I’m not sure how to explain what I’m feeling. Maybe it’s regret. Though, I’m still in the midst of parenthood (does it ever really end?), I wonder — have I captured enough moments? Have I captured the right ones? Not with a phone or device, but by being fully with family and friends.

As I sat in nostalgia, memories rushed in—driving with my dad, laughing with my mom, holiday meals, the smiles of my siblings’ face, visits with my grandparents. I still see me and my friend laughing uncontrollably, rain drenched, on the walk home from elementary school. I’m horrible with names, but I remember his—Trent.

Then another image appeared: me as a man, with my wife and kids. Each baby smiling at me at the beginning of their lives, happy to be together.

And then I thought of all that I chase now and wondered — why?

Will any of these things become moments I recall with the same warmth?

I’m going too fast. It’s all going too fast.

God, I look to you for comfort—like a child sitting beside their parents. Help me to slow down. Help me be present. Help me cross paths with those who matter most.

Peace.