What I Saw in the Parking Lot

Memorial Day weekend is here, and I caught my first sunburn of the year—Florida summer is back. It's also the time when small, unexpected moments seem to appear out of nowhere. This weekend brought Maya's ballet recital and flashed me back 35 years to a strip mall computer store, where I left with an $800 piece of plastic in my hand—and an unexpected memory. If you've ever pondered your place on your life’s timeline, slow down for a bit and come along—this story is worth a listen. Featured Story In 1990, I walked out of a small strip mall computer store with Photoshop 1.0 on a CD—eight hundred bucks I didn't really have, but I was determined to become a producer-editor, which we used to call a predator back then. Then I saw them. An older man is being pushed to a car in a wheelchair, totally silent. Thirty feet behind him, a baby in a stroller is kicking her feet, making baby noises, and her parents are smiling. Same parking lot. Two strollers heading toward cars that they didn't drive themselves to. Standing there with my $800 CD, I realized the only difference between those two strollers was time. That moment stayed with me. Important Points Remember: the only difference between the wheelchair and stroller is time. We're each somewhere on that timeline—recognizing it is key to living purposefully. Most of the stuff you think will matter probably won't, and the stuff you almost miss turns out to be almost everything. Take a breath, look at where you actually are today, and decide who you want sitting next to you in the parking lot. Memorable Quotes The only difference between those two strollers was the time and a little distance across the parking lot that day. Most of the stuff we think will matter doesn't, and most of what we almost miss turns out to be almost everything. The more I observe, the more I take a breath and just go, what a ride. Life moves fast, and things really do change. Scott's Three-Step Approach Stop in the middle of your regular routine today and actually notice the moments and people most of us are too busy to see. Take an honest breath and figure out where you actually stand on the timeline between the stroller and the wheelchair. Choose who you want pushing you across that parking lot one day, then go invest your time and attention in them now. Chapters 0:02 - First sunburn and the start of Florida summer 1:13 - Maya's ballet recital is the cutest thing ever 1:57 - Walking out of the store with $800 Photoshop on a CD 5:43 - The wheelchair and stroller in the same parking lot 6:28 - Poopy diapers and lessons from mom at 94 8:50 - Where are you actually sitting on the timeline today 9:02 - Closer to the wheelchair and what mattered most SEO Description Scott shares a 1990 parking lot moment — a wheelchair and a baby stroller — that reveals where you actually sit on life's timeline today. Connect With Me Search for the Daily Boost on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify If you enjoy the Daily Boost, you might like Notes From Scott. A few mornings each week, I send a short note with something I've been thinking about or noticing lately. Sometimes those ideas turn into podcast episodes later. You can sign up at Email: support@motivationtomove.com Main Website: YouTube: Instagram: Facebook Page: Facebook Group: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What I Saw in the Parking Lot is an episode from Daily Boost Motivation and Coaching by Scott Smith.

This episode is 12:33 long.

This episode was published on May 19, 2026.

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