Changing Tomorrow by Investing in Today
Series #5: Time Is Love
There is one gift every child longs for.
It’s not the newest toy.
It’s not the latest phone.
It’s not expensive vacations or designer clothes.
It’s your time.
Children spell love in a way adults sometimes forget.
T-I-M-E.
They remember the fishing trip more than the fishing pole.
They remember helping wash the motorcycle more than the motorcycle itself.
They remember sitting around the dinner table laughing together.
They remember bedtime stories.
Ball games.
Walks through the neighborhood.
Conversations that made them feel important.
Those moments don’t seem extraordinary when they’re happening.
But years later…
They’re the memories that become the foundation of a child’s life.
One day your child won’t ask you to play.
They won’t ask you to read one more story.
They won’t reach for your hand crossing the street.
Those little moments don’t last forever.
That’s why today matters.
In a world filled with distractions, notifications, and endless responsibilities, giving someone your full attention has become one of the greatest expressions of love.
When you stop what you’re doing and truly listen…
When you put your phone down…
When you choose presence over distraction…
You’re telling a child,
“You matter more than anything else right now.”
That simple message builds confidence.
It builds trust.
It builds security.
And those qualities become the foundation for healthy relationships throughout life.
At Riders Against Domestic Violence, we believe preventing abuse begins long before a crisis.
It begins when children grow up knowing they are valued.
Knowing they are heard.
Knowing they are loved.
Time cannot be saved for tomorrow.
Once today is gone…
It’s gone forever.
So take the walk.
Throw the ball.
Read the story.
Listen a little longer.
Because years from now, your children probably won’t remember everything you bought them.
But they’ll never forget the time you gave them.
That is a ripple worth creating.
— Dave Beatty
Founder, Riders Against Domestic Violence (RADV)
The Ripple Effect
Every act of love creates a ripple.
Every lesson shapes a life.
Every life has the power to change the world.