I’m not a sentimental person. I’m not one to lament the passing of time or how my children are growing too quickly, but time is fleeting. And no one knows this more than a parent of young children. The more children you have, the faster time goes. There is a reason they say the nights are long, but the years are short.
Lately, life has been full of endings. Big endings and small endings that have changed the course of life as I know it. Some have been welcome and expected endings like the completion of kindergarten. Eek, I now have a first grader. A milestone that came so quickly but is welcome nonetheless because I love to watch my daughter grow and learn. I love her passion for school and anticipate many Christmas lists requesting office supplies in the future.
Others have been big and emotional and permanent in a way I wasn’t ready for, like the unexpected death of a loved one. While some endings allow you to prepare, others sneak up on you when you are least prepared to deal with the grief. But you must find a way forward and part of that process is finding meaning in the moment.
Currently, I’m choosing to view these endings, both those that brought happiness and grief, as a reminder to take pause and appreciate more moments while I can. The moments we often forget to appreciate until they are over and can never be experienced again except in our memories. And rarely are the memories sufficient.
In a world of distraction, it is so easy to view life from an iPhone screen. To get so caught up in capturing the moments so we can remember them later that we forget to take it all in and truly appreciate it while it is happening. We miss out on the opportunity to be a part of life when it is being lived.
At a time of endings, I’m reminding myself that with every ending comes a new beginning. An opportunity to learn from the past and move forward with intention. It is rare that we have the luxury of foresight when it comes to the last moments. So I’m focusing on being present each day to ensure that the moments that matter most are moments I was able to fully appreciate when they were happening. I want to remember fondly when my memory is all I have left.
