It’s wonderful. It’s the greatest. It’s the happiest you’ve ever been.

You love this kid more than you could possibly express. You love your life. You love it all. As you should—it’s a postcard. You are living the dream.

But you have to remember, it is a dream.

We’ve been quoting recently from the haunting song by Gang of Youths, “Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane.” In it, singer David Le’aupepe describes a family life just like this—settling down, happiness, contentment, peace. But then, the dream becomes a nightmare. Or then, the dream is shattered. He sings of a trip to the grocery store, of rain and skid and a phone call from the hospital, “Sir, I’m so sorry to say this.”

And then he wakes up. The lesson? It’s there in the chorus.

Do not let this thing you got go to waste

Savor this dream while you’re living it. Cherish every moment you have. Life can change in an instant. Tragedy could strike without warning. And even in the best case—when children grow up and move away, when we age and eventually leave this world—nothing lasts forever. But that’s exactly why we must appreciate and protect this beautiful dream while we still have it.