The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short

As a young mom, it may have been possible that I rolled my eyes (to myself) just the teeny-tiniest bit when an older mother would tell me to enjoy my exhausting, but darling, busy little children...that they will grow so fast. Every day seemed so long, and often, it felt like I didn't accomplish a single thing, but instead, was living a joke that seemed to be on me... "Groundhog Day".

My oldest child turned 16 today...quite a milestone for this mama. It is hard for me to not be emotional thinking about the years that have passed so quickly, while I strain to remember some of the memories I thought I could never forget.

So many years later, I want to gently shake and hug that younger mother, not just to help her out of her sleep-lacking state, but to help her understand that truly, the time we have with our children is really just a blink. To sacrifice the unimportant things that suck time away from the important, during the short time of life that rewards selflessness. To remind her to care for herself better, so that she can love them better. To be present every day. To impress upon her that those early years do indeed have great affect on growing minds, bodies and hearts, something that is certainly worth improving on at this point in my motherhood..."the days are long, but the years are short". -Gretchen Rubin