Why You Should Breathe Deep of the Moment

A week in a warm, dry climate without children or household responsibilities refreshes and rejuvenates. It also gave me pause to reflect on my family back home as I took quiet early morning walks and went on long sight-seeing drives. 

Mom and Sherri

I remember the long nights of crying babies and sick little ones; the seemingly endless days of dirty diapers, spit-up, and, well, sameness. As much as I enjoyed the sweetness of my babies, there were moments of feeling trapped.

Yet, now, they are preparing for their own lives. One son out of the house and another following in a matter of months, our family dynamics are rapidly changing. 

And as I wandered through the senior-citizen community, enjoying my temporary freedom from family responsibilities, I noticed how the gray-haired men and women now cleaned up after their dogs instead of their children. And I couldn’t help but wonder if they, too, reflected on the irony of those early years of parenting.

• How they were so long yet incredibly short.
• How they lasted forever yet were gone in an instant.
• How difficult they were yet how satisfying.

Did they, like me, lament the speed of the passing time? Were they also feeling that 20 years ago was really just yesterday? Did they wish they had a re-do?

How quickly time passes. How fast our children grow and seasons wane. How rapidly feeling trapped melts into the bittersweet empty-nesting stage.  

Precious time with Mom

Savor the Moment

Each and every season, one day after the other, must be embraced. Each stage is to be fully lived. Every moment of our lives is a memory to be made. 

Every moment of our lives is a memory to be made. Share on X

I know it doesn’t always feel like it, dear young mommies, but “this” too shall pass … all too quickly in the end.

Don’t let the weight of your responsibilities mask the beauty of the day. Don’t let repeated moments become mundane tasks. Don’t blink without first breathing deeply of the day. 

In just over a breath, you’ll be packing away toys once held dear in grubby little hands.

In the space of an instant, you’ll be cheering your little one in high school games and puffing with pride as he receives his diploma.

All too quickly, you’ll be sending care packages to your baby in college.

And in the next instant you’ll be placing her hand in another man’s as she leaves you to cleave to another, vowing “to death do us part.”

Oh, those early days are difficult and scary and long and nearly unending. But they are also glorious and fulfilling and precious and fleeting. 

Soon it won’t be your toddler’s messes you’ll be cleaning up; it may well be your pooch’s. 

Breathe deep of each day, and create those memories that’ll carry you through those empty rooms with satisfaction and peace. 

Breathe deep, and live each moment fully. 

“O Lord, help me understand my mortality
and the brevity of life!
Let me realize how quickly my life will pass!” (Psalm 39:4)

Reflection: What additional words of encouragement do you have for those mommies feeling trapped in the early parenting years?

• Long walk with Dad and my sister along the Colorado River; Spotting a covey of Gambel’s Quail; The great diversity & beauty of desert plants–cacti are intriguing
•  Visiting my uncle in Lake Havasu; Getting close-up sightings of Roadrunners; Craggy mountains rising from the desert floor
•  Incredible clouds in the evening sky; Helping Mom & Dad get accessories for their new half bath; Walking the boardwalk in Laughlin with Mom and Sherri
• Celebrating Dad’s and my birthday together early with a prime rib dinner at Riverview in Laughlin, NV; Pleasantly surprised by a Valentine’s Day card and candy from Dad; Walking in a covey of Gambel’s Quail 
• Safe flight home; Car that started after sitting quiet for 7 days in frigid temps; Love of my family–because He first loved us
• Road tripping with Zach for college music scholarship audition; My own bed; Flowers from hubby welcoming me home
• Afterchurch friend-to-friend time; Breathing clear, crisp Iowa winter air; Son’s heartwarming interaction with his sister–so loving and engaging, makes my heart sing