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I only remember a few monetary gifts that my dad gave me, but I remember how much time he spent with me.

I remember him showing me how to ride a bike. I remember when I got two Fs on my fifth-grade report card, and he told me that I wasn’t what my report card said that I was. I remember when I was struggling, and he told me that one day I would turn things around.

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Communication and emotional connection were crucial for the relationship that my father and I had. Being able to be vulnerable with him allowed me to connect deeper with him than I’ve ever have with anyone else in my life.

In my 20s, as I searched for my identity, this became a strain on our relationship. It wasn’t his fault; it was all mine. I had this idea that I could do things without his help and his influence. I felt that if I did things my own way, he would see that I didn’t need to listen to him.

During that time, he was always accepting of the bad choices that I kept making.

So where am I going with this? Well, today, my dad would have turned 80 years old if he were alive today. Yes, I want to tell you about him, but more importantly, I want to tell you about a discussion we had one week before he died. 

“Champ (he called me, ‘Champ’), money doesn’t matter without purpose,” he said. “You can have all the in the world and still not be happy. Money can help with basic needs and enhance the quality of your life, but (money) can’t provide you with purpose. If you only chase money, it’s really easy to get lost.”

Toward the end of the discussion, he said, “Yeah, Champ, you can’t take any money with you when you leave here, so you might as well make an impact.” 

The reason for this discussion is because he was letting me know that he was really going to retire.

At the time, he was a resource officer for an elementary school, and he said that it was time just to sit back and enjoy what my sister and I were doing. He also said that he wanted to come out to Seattle to watch some Seahawks games as he had never been to any before.

So when he died a week later, I was scared to be without him. What started off as me being afraid, ended up turning into me seeing the world differently.

It’s as if he started to guide me from the other side. All of what he said to me over the years became crystal clear. It was also a reminder that time is just as good as money. Trust me, I wish I could have just a little more time with him. 

Time is a currency in all cultures and backgrounds. Sure, I wanted to write about time being money, but I also wanted to honor my hero.

He’d love the fact that there was a write-up about him on his birthday. He’d also love it if, maybe, someone reading this could connect to this and gain more of an appreciation of time.

As you prepare for the upcoming holiday, appreciate the time with loved ones and friends. Take it all in and enjoy it as if it’s money. 

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.