Sony” i @SahilBloom Last year, | had a conversation that changed my life. It caused me to upend everything and move across the country. The lesson from it may change yours: 12.3k Likes 2.2kRetweets 345 Replies@ Cee eaut | was out for a drink with a friend. We'll call him George. As we settled in, George asked about my life and how | was feeling. At first, | gave him the standard response that we've all grown so accustomed to: “I’m good. Busy!" He stared blankly through my empty words.ry Peek) Feeling the pressure of his gaze, | adjusted myself and added that living in California had begun to wear on me, it being so far from my parents on the East Coast. | had been 3,000 miles away for the last 12 NZ-r-1 Eo And with the path | was on, there was no end Tasore Cee eu”) The moment of vulnerability sparked an interaction that changed my life: George: “How often do you see your parents?" Me: “Maybe once a year now.” George: “And how old are they?" LV Cena] esha uo George: “Ok, so you’re going to see them 15 more times before they die.”@ eect) (elem ole larian | took a deep breath. It wasn’t meant to be rude—it was just...math. If the average life expectancy is ~80 years, my parents are in their mid-60s, and | see them one time per year, the math—however depressing—says | will see them 15 more times before they are gone.@ eect) Our time together is finite, but we often fail to recognize it until it's too late. Time is cruel. You’ll love it with all of your being—you may even pray for more of it—but time doesn’t care about you. Your relationship with time is the ultimate unrequited love.@e Cee) The morning after this conversation, my wife and | had a very candid conversation about NAL lM MUV lace Mame A few days later, we listed our house in California on the market, packed up our things, and shipped off to the East Coast to be closer to our parents.e Peet 4 Tato ol 1-1 BY aero al Meroe) that changed my life. I'll never regret these tiny moments—of doing nothing in particular—that we'll spend Srey ha RoE Te I'll never regret the moments my parents get to spend with my son. ta Mat (-1 et 16-1 a Oere Sn) My friend @waitbutwhy wrote about this "Parent Time" phenomenon in a recent New Sr akc In classic fashion, he produced a striking Seven semua ae ULS alae RCO mel MRI) our loved ones is so limited and precious. PARENT TIME, YEARS 1-19 i@e Cee) All of this math—depressing as it seems— should be a call to arms. Identify the people and activities you care most deeply about. Prioritize them ruthlessly. It may be difficult—even painful—but it’s a decision you’ll never regret.@ eect) We spend most of our lives playing a game: Everything we do is in anticipation of the future. When that future comes, we simply ic-t-1-1 Coa Maly aol a “I can’t wait until I’m 18 so | can [X].” “I can’t wait until I’m 25 so | can [Y]." “I can’t wait until I’m 45 so | can [Z]."@e Cee) It’s natural, but it’s a dangerous game—one that we will lose, eventually. Time is our most precious asset and the fe) cex-x-1 a) oe] dare Lew AUT- Leela nclcle Spend it wisely, with those you love, in ways Vel U Na MAN =] o)s1k@e Cee) Always remember the famous song by Guy Lombardo: Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink. MU aT-MV.-r-] 6-210 o) A= Tome [061.8 Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than SVelUm tal lala@e Cee) By the way, the point of this thread isn’t saying that any decision about where to live is iaat-1n| elem c0) nn My goal is to emphasize the precious nature of time and spark active discussion with you and your loved ones about the tradeoffs and decisions that this creates.@ Sahil Bloom @ We all have to reach our own conclusions. These are often very challenging decisions with a variety of complex tradeoffs. Generally speaking, as an observation, | do think fewer people regret making the decision to live close to family later in life (vs. the alternative).ry Peek) I'd expect that in a future where remote/hybrid work becomes the norm, these decisions become easier to make. In this future, the career limiting fears that previously held back many would-be movers TA ELAIce Something for companies considering employee happiness to consider.@ Sahil Bloom @ | hope this thread sparks some of you to have conversations with your loved ones about time (and who you want to spend yours with). Follow me @SahilBloom for more writing like alice | will continue to write on these topics in my newsletter as well.