The Bronco We’ll Never Win

What a Candy Run, Pizza Stop, and Lemonade Spill Taught Me About Showing Up

Author

Clay Garrett
August 21st, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Hey—it’s Clay.

Sometimes the best days make no sense on paper. Today’s Kindling is about why those unplanned, inefficient moments are often the ones that matter most.

Sometimes the Best Days Don’t Make Any Sense

A couple of Saturdays ago, we loaded up the car and drove an hour to the closest 7-Eleven—not because we needed anything important, but because the kids wanted to enter a candy contest to win a Ford Bronco.

Are we going to win? Absolutely not.
But that wasn’t the point.

The point was: it mattered to them.
So we made a thing out of it.

After the candy run, we grabbed some pizza (and even better appetizers), and capped off the night with a trip to Walmart to buy our son some new shorts because his sister spilled lemonade on him during the drive home.

It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t efficient. It wasn’t “productive.”

But it was a good day.

➡️ And sometimes, that’s enough.

Remember This:

Being present > being perfect.

Your kids don’t need perfect, they’ll remember you showing up.

Real News for Real People — Not Partisans

Feeling like you want to get off the rollercoaster of polarizing politics? Read Tangle — an independent and nonpartisan political newsletter recently profiled on This American Life for helping to bridge the gap between politically divided families. Each day, the newsletter unpacks one important news story, examining it from all sides of the political spectrum.

Be There Moments

This week, skip the grand gestures and focus on one small moment each day where you’re fully present.

✅ Play with them
✅ Ask what made them laugh
✅ Offer a reassuring touch
✅ Be present for what they care about
✅ Make eye contact and smile

One moment a day… that’s the challenge.

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Until next time—
Keep the fires burning,
— Clay

P.S. Know someone who needs this? Forward it to a friend. 🔥

If you like Campfire Gentleman, here are a few other newsletters I actually read.