Take the Time

I don't know it's because I'm getting older? It's definitely not because my nest is getting empty. But the last little while I have been made more aware of time. How time is spent. How you can never get time back. How time goes by so quickly. How time is here today and gone tomorrow.

Today as I sat on the deck eating my lunch I was reminded of time. Moments with the ones that I love. I sat there eating, no device in my hand, no book to be read. Just sitting and eating. As I sat there I was visited by all ages and sizes of some of my favourite people. They shared their dreams, their fears, their goals, their accomplishments, their passions, their joys...the deep down things that mattered to them.

I don't know about you, but around here there is ALWAYS something to busy myself with. I am the kind of person that has a real hard time just sitting and relaxing. Usually as I sit I can't stop thinking of all the things that I could/should be doing. But after being a mom for 26+ years I realize that the work is NEVER done. It just isn't. There is always another floor to be swept, another dish to be washed, another toilet to clean.....and so on. But lately I have had the revelation that those things will wait, but my children will not be around me forever. Time is precious. And time spent with my family is invaluable.

One thing I have kept reminding myself over the years in my motherhood journey is that I don't want to wake up someday, have our children all grown and our nest empty, and regret the things I did or didn't do with them. I don't want to feel that the years were wasted.

I have had many wonderful conversations with those who are "wise" in their years tell me, "Cherish the moments. They go by so fast." When our first four children were little, I felt lost somedays. Lost in the pile of laundry, lost in the never-ending cycle of cooking, cleaning and caring for our children. And somedays I remember thinking, "When will they grow up and be able to do these things on their own?" I realize now that I probably missed many precious moments with my children because I was looking ahead rather than then redeeming the time that I was actually living in.

And now with the wonderful life we live, having adult children, young adult children, young children, toddlers and grandbabies our perspective has changed. Why? Because we are no longer just hearing the words "they grow up so quickly", we are living it and seeing it with our own eyes! How many times have we said, "It seems like just yesterday!"

Today as I sat on the deck I was reminded that these kind of moments will not last forever. And I cherished them deep in my heart. I thanked God for every child that He has placed into our family. And I asked Him to help me remember daily that I can always take the time. Even if it's just 5 or 10 minutes. I just have to be available and willing to listen. And they will come, they will share their heart and time will be well spent.