I love living in Virginia! Not only is it a gorgeous state with beautiful mountains and beaches, but we get to enjoy all four seasons. And there are things I love about each season. Recently I've been hearing the word "season" a lot and not just referring to Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Our lives are a sequence of seasons, too. Season means a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. On numerous occasions in the past few weeks, I have been telling someone about how my house looks like a tornado touched down or that I never have time to clean and they have responded, "It's just the season you're in, it won't last forever. Enjoy it."
We are all in different seasons of our lives, as cliched as that may sound, it is the simple truth. Unfortunately, when a season of your life ends and a new one begins you won't get to experience it again in nine months...you've closed that chapter of your life permanently! Kind of a sad thought...huh?!
There are things we will miss terribly and things we are glad to see go. In high school I was in such a hurry to start college and get a real job - but then I got a real job! After I started working full time I would have loved to be able to my go back to my high school years when I didn't have bills, much responsibility and had summers off! I guess it's human nature to never truly realize what you have until it's gone. Then once it's gone you look back and think, wow, those were the good days! I do my best to be have an optimistic perspective on things, and luckily I am an optimist by nature so it comes fairly easy for me. Sometimes when you're in the moment it's easy to only notice the negative but just wait a few months (sometimes it only takes weeks or days) and look back and the things that stand out will be the good memories. So why not enjoy them while they are occurring?! The sleepless nights, messy house, toddler meltdowns, repeating myself 10 20 times a day doesn't even scratch the surface in comparison to the hugs, impromptu "I Love You's", first coos and smiles, locking eyes with my newborn while he nurses, watching my husband twirl my toddler around the living room in her princess dress and high heel slippers...I could go on and on. Sometimes I feel like I need to constantly have the camera and video camera in my hand. I don't ever want to forget all these special moments.
I wish someone had explained this to me a long time ago and I wish I could have comprehended what it meant. I was always (and still catch myself sometimes) counting down to the next big thing instead of savoring the moment.
So here's to embracing the season of life we are experiencing today. Our current season is filled with lots of giggles, coos, cries, Disney songs, twirly dresses, big messes, diapers and so much more! But these are definitely "The Good Times".
---- Many thanks to Brittany Barney for allowing us to use this post. Brittany is a part-time nurse/part-time stay at home mom. She and her husband live on a farm with their two dimpled-faced children, 2 1/2 year old Taegan and newborn, Silas. Click here to view her original post.