Short Years

2004

A wave of melancholy washed over me as my family and I decorated our Christmas tree earlier this month.

As I watched our tall girls help my husband wrap the tree in garland, I realized that – at 12 and 13 – our time with them at home is dwindling. Of course, we don’t know what the Lord has in store for their young adult years. And parents are parents for life. But regardless of the post-high school path upon which each child embarks, it’s clear that my husband and I have most certainly passed the halfway point in our hands-on child-rearing years.

When the girls were little, very wise older parents warned me about this. So I purposed to pay attention and cherish the little things. And I have no regrets about missed moments. But it’s still gone too quickly.

My aim now is to stay in the moment – to enjoy my beautiful children in their current season of life rather than pine for their early years. But to those with young children, I want to pass on the words of those wise parents who counseled me: The hours feel long now, but the years are (very, very) short.

So at Christmas – and always – choose to dwell in the moment. Decide to focus on the bigger picture, not the temporary hassles. And paint the images in your mind’s eye because your little ones will be as tall as that tree before you know it.

2014

CK