One big wish: enjoy every little moment

Family celebrate Kevin’s son’s 16th birthday

Most of us take things for granted – it does not make us bad, it’s just our brains working out what a likely outcome is from past events. What that trait does do, though, is take away our appreciation of moments or achievements.

This week was my youngest son Ollie’s 16th birthday. Now, birthdays are something that happen every year, right? But of course when your dad has a terminal cancer diagnosis, there is no guarantee that he will be there for another.

So the opportunity to share the day with him, give him a few presents to put a smile on his face and the simple pleasure of singing him happy birthday can never be taken for granted. It’s sometimes hard not to well up as I never know if this will be the last – but then none of us know if the next birthday will be the last, do we?

I was asked today why I run every day and the same applies – I never know what day will be the last one and of course the opportunity to enjoy the great British outdoors should never be sniffed at. Today’s run was a solo marathon distance, it was not a race, there was no medal, no water stations, no marked course or someone with a goody bag and foil blanket at the end. In fact no one cared apart from me but I didn’t take a single step for granted.

Of course I am planning a few family trips and longer runs for when we are allowed to in a Covid world but that shouldn’t mean I shouldn’t live for the day right now. So for the foreseeable I will be exercising with one friend often, and sharing maximum time with my family bubble, as these moments are precious, too, aren’t they?

I hope you too maximise your time with your bubble and exercise when you can so you don’t look back and see a missed opportunity.

KEEP GOING Kev running a solo marathon