Becoming a parent changes things in your mind, there’s an extra layer there that doesn’t show up until you’re actually in the thick of it. You can hear this and understand it, but like many things I’m learning in parenting, that’s totally different than experiencing it.

For instance, today I was getting in the car and smelled a whiff of gum. Remembering we recently just loaded up the car with a few variations, I reached for it, and chose the classic bubblegum flavor.

Immediately I had a thought I’ve never had, and it captured me for the rest of the day.

I can’t wait to give my daughter a piece of bubblegum some day.

She needs teeth first so it will probably be a few years, but my mind fills with things like this. I no longer value my experiences as much as I once did, and there’s a whole new plane of thought where I value my daughter’s experiences and think about them often.

…just a bubblegum thought 😃