I was sitting down with my son a few nights ago and I quickly became enamored with watching him play. He was having so much fun just being right there, smiling and loving life, and me smiling and loving being with him. Nowhere to go. Nothing else to do. 

It made me ask myself, “What if I could be more like my child? What if I could see the world through his lenses?” Asking these questions helped me remember some of the things my son has taught me about what’s most important in life. Here are a few of those important things:

1. Live in the moment.
Children know how to live in the moment. My son shows me every day that I need to stop thinking about what is next on the agenda and enjoy what is happening at that very moment. The moment is all we have. It’s all the individual moments that add up to what really matters most. If we don’t learn to enjoy the little moments, then we will let life go by without truly enjoying it. It’s hard for us adults to savor the moment, to play a little more and worry less.

2. Spend time doing what you’re passionate about.
If you aren’t passionate about it, don’t waste your time. My son spends hours shooting hoops. He eats, sleeps and breathes basketball. We, as adults, get so caught up in our day-to-day tasks that we fail to carve out time to do what we’re passionate about. Yes, the laundry needs cleaning, and the grass needs mowing. These are good and necessary things, but we also need to focus our energy and time on things that help us, and others, experience joy.

3. Love others.
Children love unconditionally. Have you ever noticed the sparkle in their eyes when they look at you or someone around you? Children see everyone through innocent and beautiful eyes. They see everybody as being special and unique, and that’s exactly what we all are. My mom always says, “Make someone feel special today.” As cheesy as it sounds, it’s so true. Children have a way of doing this naturally. They don’t judge others or identify their faults or flaws. They see the best in others and the potential for a new friend.

What if we went out of our way to invest in the lives of those around us, offer compliments when we think of them, or let the people in our lives know they matter to us? What if we took a moment to give a listening ear, a hug or even a pat on the back? We should try to be more childlike in our ability to show love and tolerance for one another. What if we were to focus on the 95% positive attributes of a person, versus the 5% of their shortcomings? The world would be a much happier place.

I’ve learned a lot in life from my relationships with others, my years in college and even my work experience, but nothing comes close to the lessons I’ve learned from my son.

Laura Giles is an associate adviser for Foster Group, a financial investment firm located in Des Moines. Connect with her on LinkedIn.