I Haven't Seen My Grandparents in 10 years

When I was 10 years old, my parents decided to move to Canada. I remember our family bidding us farewell at the airport in South Korea. I also recall my grandfather holding my hands tightly with tears in his eyes.

As a child, I didn't fully understand what all of this meant. In hindsight, I realize how difficult that must have been for my grandparents.

Since then, I've visited my grandparents twice in 25 years (the last time was 10 years ago).

I could explain by saying that life got busy—working six days a week, focusing on my career, volunteering, training for a marathon, and so on...

But these are just excuses. The harsh truth is this:

I forgot to prioritize my grandparents.

What Is Truly Important?

I raced through most of my 20s on auto-pilot, meeting the busy demands of each day. What I should have done instead is to pause and reflect on my life as a big picture.

• What (or who) do I need to prioritize right now?
• Do I feel fulfilled or am I missing something?
• What is truly important in my life?

Cherish Every Moment

This graph shows that by age 18, you have already spent 90% of the time with your parents in your lifetime. Ninety percent! The time you have with your grandparents is even more scarce.

I wish I had prioritized them way earlier, but I've resolved to do my best with the limited time left.

The first trip I booked after quitting my full-time job was to Korea to see my grandparents.

I've also created a recurring time block on my calendar every Friday to call my grandparents. I've been asking them about their childhood, how they met, and what my dad was like growing up (he was a 'handful' 😆).

Prioritize Your Loved Ones

So, if you're lucky like me to have parents and grandparents still around and in good health, cherish every moment.

Relentlessly prioritize time for your loved ones because every moment counts.

Visit them regularly, celebrate milestones together, plan day trips, hug them, and tell them you love them. Make precious memories that you'll hold dear forever.

Join me on a journey to redesign life, one step at a time! 👊