He called on Tuesday, as he does...talkative. Lots of plans, some questions. A request or two.
A twenty-two year old, approaching the end of his college days...with thoughts of the future - of jobs and budgets and, well...life...filling his mind. He's currently scheming with some friends and trying to plan a great graduation trip.
I got off the phone with him, and she texted me a picture of her new puppy. I should say their new puppy. In two weeks it will be time to celebrate a first wedding anniversary! They're off to a great start ~ it's been a celebration worthy year. Even so, like us, they juggle money and the stress of life choices and job ups and downs. For now, it's all sunny...cause did I mention, they just got a really cute puppy?
As I was looking at Max, the puppy, I walked back downstairs where my scrapbooking friends were chatting and filling albums with images of their kiddos.
I said, "Anyone want to trade a 22 year old for a 10 or 11 year old?" No one said anything. I tried again, and didn't get any volunteers for a trade. Sigh.
And we all know I don't really want to trade. I was just hit with a wave of mourning for the loss of their childhood. Not the loss of my days of mothering young ones, but the loss of their carefree, imagination filled, giggle laden childhood days.
In the scheme of things, it doesn't last that long...and every mom of grown kids tells the young moms to savor every minute cause it passes quickly. And savoring is good. But it's also for us...the moms. So, while you're savoring...I'll just throw in my two cents.
Don't rush them.
Help them to soak up and enthusiastically enjoy every moment of childhood.
Because it goes by quickly for them too.
Sharing this Simple Moment that helped
me remember the Bigger Picture with
my friends at Hyacinth's Place today.
Awww this gave me chills. Beautiful writing Adrienne. I am that mother of a young child (3) and it is already going too fast. Thanks for the beautiful post this morning!
ReplyDeleteI am grateful to have read this beautiful post. The perspective, the reminder.... poignant and insightful. I will hang onto these words. My children are still little, and these reminders become a part of me.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I am going to share this on my Facebook page.
I find it a bit ironic that the older you get, the more you appreciate time....and it is at that exact moment that it starts to fly by even more quickly. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteThe most common piece of advice I heard when I was pregnant with my first was to savor the precious moments of her childhood. In all this time I never stopped to think about how to help her savor these days for herself. We forget that it's only an illusion that time speeds up the older we get. The days are flying for her too, even though she doesn't realize it yet. You've got me thinking...
ReplyDeleteYou had better believe it! I love them as grown ups...am amazed by them as grown ups. But, oh! how I miss them as little ones at the same time.
ReplyDeleteLovely thoughts, beautifully expressed. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
ReplyDeleteAww I know this well...it goes by so fast and we worry and we realize that we can no longer control their decisions. This made me sad as you know..I miss my baby too but I have to accept that he has his life to live.Hugs to you.
ReplyDeletebeautiful!! i love what kathy said, it's so true!!
ReplyDeleteoooohhhh and what a cute photo!!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard watching them leave the nest, but in a few more years you'll be surprised at how wise they are and what good friends they become.
ReplyDeleteNancy
This is beautiful. It's funny how when I'm in the thick if an age or stage it seems so hard but when it's over I miss it. One day they'll be grown up and I know I'll miss having them underfoot :)
ReplyDeleteIt does go by fast! You can take comfort in the fact that you've done an amazing job raising them and have prepared them for all of the craziness adulthood brings!
ReplyDeleteI always appreciate the pieces of wisdom you share from your vantage point, Adrienne ... maybe because I lose sight so often and can't see the forest through the trees. <3
ReplyDeleteYES! Let them be children as long as they can...
ReplyDeleteSO true, Adrienne..... so true. I really can't add anything...except, as the mother of a 32 year old, I know exactly what you mean!
ReplyDeleteI linked this post in my blog here and quoted you (a comment you left on another blog) I hope that's ok with you!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.togetherwalking.com/1/post/2013/12/why-almost-all-beliefs-dont-matter.html
My daughter (Annabel) suffered from schizophrenia for 5 years. I had no idea what was happening and didn’t know where to turn for help. It was hard then because I really didn’t understand the symptoms earlier until she was diagnosed. There was a time she decided to get away from everyone, I was not excluded. I had to sit and cry almost every day because I felt helpless as a single mother (she is all I have got). The anguish I went through taking care of her alone is beyond explanation because there was no support whatsoever from the dad or family members. I fought for proper medical care and humane treatment; I did everything within my reach to get her cured but all to no avail. Countless different medications was prescribed (Zyprexa, fluphenazine, Risperdal, quetiapine, etc.) that she was taking but all we could get was myriad of side effects such as rigidity, drowsiness, dizziness, tremors and restlessness which tends to worsen the already damaged situation. Frustration was the order of the day. I wrote a couple of messages to Ontario Mental Health Foundation for help because watching my daughter go through such was devastating. It was at this foundation someone shared a testimony about DR James herba mix medicine, how effective it is and how she went through the most difficult times of her life trying to help her mom fight Schizophrenia. Being that I was already at the verge of giving up because I just couldn't imagine waking up every morning to fight the same demons that left me so tired the night before. I had to contact the doctor,on his email (drjamesherbalmix@gmail.com) from our conversations; I was relieved and convinced that the result is going to be positive because I was made to contact people with worse cases. Today, the awful situation of my daughter has gone by. Her happy life is back. She is now a schizophrenia survivor and I am glad because my daily routine activities can now kick off without obstructions. Don't let Schizophrenia hinder you from living a desired life and also, never allow anyone to decide for you especially when they don't know what you have to go through to get to where you are. I was almost discouraged by the doctor but then, I remembered that: I have to shield my daughter’s destiny with courage, faith and perseverance because she is not in her right state of mind and that the bravery and freedom from fear is found in the ‘doing’. Her life is now a testimony. After my daughter got cured,from the herbal mix medicine Dr James prepared and sent to me, she said, Mom “I just thought, ‘Well, I’m a weirdo, I’ll never be normal, then I said, my daughter, life itself is a misery and we get stronger in the places we have been broken. Thanks to you Dr. James for your excellent counseling, no more psychotic symptoms for the past 3 years and 4 months now. To know more about Dr.James and the effectiveness of his Herbs and roots extracts and he said he got cures for diseases like Bipolar,DIABETES, HPV,SHINGLES,CANCER, ALS, HEPATITIS B, KIDNEY DISEASE, HERPES, Ovarian Cancer,Pancreatic cancers, Bladder cancer,Skin cancer, Prostate cancer, Glaucoma., Cataracts,Macular degeneration,Cardiovascular disease,Autism,Lung disease.Enlarged prostate,Osteoporosis.Alzheimer's disease,psoriasis ,Tach Diseases,Lupus,Dementia.kidney cancer, lung cancer,. You can reach him on his Email at ... drjamesherbalmix@gmail.com. I believe you will testify just like me.
ReplyDelete