TingTingTing!

I can still hear Julian's little bell ringing in my head.

He would ring that bell whenever we passed by Sammy and Alex’s house. (They were his best friends when we moved here.)

But that shiny chrome bell isn't on my mountain bike's handlebars anymore.

Because today, I had to take off his kiddie bike seat (along with the bell) one last time. 

This was the seat where he would sit in front of me for almost 3 years.

We would race along the streets in our quiet suburb, with a few gentle slopes to coast downhill on.

He would squeal and laugh the whole time! Those bike rides were our special adventures. 

Just me and my co-pilot.

I can still picture those fun times so clearly in my head (plus phone photos certainly help hehe): Julian's small hands gripping the handlebars tightly. His head bobbing up and down with every bump. 

His giggles filled the air as we went down crazy fast on this almost 300-meter stretch of pure downhill goodness, - - and there were no houses or dogs too - -   to make him smile even wider.

"It's gonna be a bumpy ride!!!", we'd shout. (From the Shrunken Head in the Knight Bus in Harry Potter)

But now, Julian is 7 years old.

He's gotten too big for that bike seat. His helmet now obscures my line of sight, and soon it might be dangerous just to attempt riding like this again.

It reminds me that those free and easy childhood days are fading fast.

So I searched my archive again of us biking, and I’m nothing but grateful. Marami-rami na rin pala kaming bike rides together in these past 3 years. 

As freelancers who can work from anywhere, sobrang swerte natin.

We get to be there for all the little moments with our kids. We see their silliest jokes and smallest milestones.

We can truly soak it all in before it's gone.

This empty bike seat shows that time keeps marching on. 

Our kids won't stay little forever. Soon, they won't beg us to hang out, or play pretend or go on imaginative adventures. Their interests will change as they grow more independent. 

Heck, may crush na nga daw sya sa school e. hehe

And we'll miss those innocent, silly times.

What about you, , what’s your personal version of the empty bike seat? What are the things that you would gladly give everything to go back to?

So when you're working, work hard.

Work like you mean it, and make that money.

Be serious in your freelancing business and squeeze every second creating value for your clients so that when you're done, you're fully there for your family. 

To start that pillow fight.

Build that epic blanket fort.

Or make that googly-eyed robot.

Push them on the swing until the sun goes down. (di siguro until sunset haha kakapagod magpush all day long hehe)

Because way too soon, this season will be over. And all you'll have are the photographs and memories you took the time to make.

Don't let those moments slip away while you're saying "I'm busy pa, bukas na lang." That bukas may never come, kasi most likely busy ka pa din.

Be the kind of freelancer who can say "Sure ba" when you're kid says "Dad, wanna hang out?" kasi you're fully done with work na.

Namnamin mo, ! 

Remember every giggle, every corny dad joke, every puddle-splashing adventure with your little ones.

Childhood flashes by so fast, but you can stretch out the magic if you're truly present.

So yun na nga, I'm back staring at Julian's empty bike seat feeling a little sentimental uli. 

But I'm also so grateful for all the times we've ridden side-by-side, building bonds that can't be broken.

Make more special moments before this season ends, work fun nation. 

You'll be so glad you did.

Shoden "The Empty Seater" San

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