Fall is upon us here in Central Virginia. The mornings are crisp and the chilly breezes hint at the swiftly approaching change of colors all around.
In our programming over the last two weeks I have spoken to many of you who are also feeling the change of seasons, not only in the outdoors, but in your own bodies and in your own homes. Bellies are blossoming, babies are growing, for some hope seems almost touchable, and for some anxiety is clinging to them like a never ending Winter...
“You are going to miss this.”
As young moms we hear variations on this phrase. Over and over and over. If you are anything like me, you find yourself thinking, “Yeah, right.” I am sure there are things I will miss about this stage, but there are many things that I won’t. I am pretty sure I won’t miss constant comfort nursing, waking multiple times a night to take care of someone else and cleaning up endless messes that I didn’t make.
But as the Holidays approach, I find myself thinking about those in my life who have lost loved ones this year. For the first time ever, perhaps, I am hearing the heart behind those words.
Some day when my child is hurting either physically or emotionally, and there is NOTHING I can do to take that pain away, I will miss how simple it used to be to comfort my nursing baby.
Some day when I am up all night worrying about a teenager who isn’t home yet, I will miss being woken up by little girls scared of monsters under the bed.
Some day when my kids are gone and the house is just a little too silent, I will miss the chaos that comes from being surrounded by my family.
Nothing lasts forever and, as my father often reminds me, “This is just a season.”
This too will pass, this is just for a time, and it will be followed by another season and another. Neither better nor worse than the before or after. Just simply a season. It’s a balancing act, not wishing our life away looking toward the next season. Not living in the past unable to let go of the season before. Simply enjoying the here and now for what it is and what we will take away from it.
Enjoy this season, there are things, there are people, you will miss.
So here is to embracing this Holiday season. Here is to making memories, telling stories about the seasons before, looking forward to the seasons to come.
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.
