We all know how quickly the sands of time slip away from us. We are all very much aware that childhood is fleeting. We hear it from older and wiser parents: "Before you know it, they'll be off to college, getting married, starting a family." Yes. We hear it all the time. I have even heard myself say words like that to moms with little ones. It's just what we do.
And yet, those days in between those years can seem like an eternity. The diapers. The nap schedules. The 2 AM feedings. The homework. The dioramas. The lunches and meal planning. The trips all over town for basketball, ballet, library time. You name it. The day in, day out part of life can feel like a never ending hamster wheel. And we wonder if we are making a difference. We stress about BPA's and GMO's and fear that we may have inadvertently poisoned our precious babies, and the reason they are struggling with their sixth grade math is because our sleep deprived eyes never read the labels when they were six months old. O my, how we stress. Those "short years" are a joke to those of us swimming in a sea of seemingly endless activity and worry.
Our days are long.
And yet, I have to agree with the older and wiser mom who tells me this time will fly by; to cherish and enjoy this moment.
Because the years truly are short.
Today, in the rush of morning checklists and weighted down backpacks heaved upon forgiving shoulders, I found myself holding on to that moment with clenched fists. This typical and unassuming morning was precious to me. Why? Because I could see those tiny grains of sand rushing through my fingertips, and I have decided that I don't want to miss out on the everyday moments of these very long days. It doesn't make the long days easier, and it doesn't miraculously infuse me with more energy, but it does remind me that I can enjoy this moment - this very long moment - so that I don't wake up with any regret after the very short years have passed.
Enjoy this moment.
You don't have to love it, especially when you are neck deep in tantrums and poopie diapers.
But, enjoy this moment for the character it is shaping both inside of you, and inside of your child.
You are becoming just as much as the little ones you raise. Become your best, and enjoy the process. Enjoy the moments. They are remarkable. And if you get the chance to catch a glimpse of the trickling sands of time, relish in the gift that this miraculous opportunity is giving you. Reach out and grab it. Embrace it. Let it remind you that while the years are short, we have long days to hold on to.
Enjoy this moment. For everything that it is, and for everything that it isn't. Simply enjoy it. These long days are making you.
