Oh man, is life ever BUSY!
It seems like there is a never ending list of things that need to be done. What am I talking about, it doesn’t just seem like there is an endless things to do, there IS an endless list of things to do.
Being a mom, a wife, an entrepreneur, an employee takes a LOT of juggling.
On top of it all I am willing to bet that you have friends and therefore you need to be a good, or at least a half decent, friend. Not to mention, you are probably nagging away at yourself to improve your health, your overall level of organization, and even your attitude toward this hectic life in general.
It can be completely overwhelming.
The other day, I was talking to my mom. She mentioned that she was so grateful for the opportunity to be a grandmother but this season also brought about it own sense of grief. As she enjoyed her beautiful grandchildren she found herself having a new appreciation for the hard work that I as her daughter was putting in raising her grandkids while a pang of remorse crept in because those moments were lost for her.
So often, we find ourselves caught smack dab in the middle of the rat race. We are so busy trying to do all the things, juggle all the balls, keeping our heads above water, that we miss out on the precious moments of motherhood.
Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
I know you've read that before. But read it again. ACTUALLY TAKE IN THE MEANING.
Moments that are only afforded long after the fact.
My mom said that NOW, as a grandma, she had an opportunity to truly appreciate the beauty of motherhood.
The weight of this realization was not lost on me. It actually hit me like a ton of bricks.
Why do we have such delayed gratification in motherhood. I know that there is a certain amount of necessity to delaying gratification, I mean, you certainly have to wait until your children are grown to see if, or how badly, you messed up.
But, why do we delay actually enjoying our children to pursue - arguably - less important things.
What if, instead of chasing all the things, we revealed in chasing our children. What if we focused on enjoying their laughter and their spontaneity (even if it comes in the midst of our “work period”). What if we paused to bake cookies, even if it meant a messy kitchen that you wouldn’t be able to tidy until after bed time?
This year, if we can do anything “right”, I beg you consider it prioritizing family. Making people a priority over things. Over financial freedom, over being debt free, over being an influencer, building a successful brand, reaching the next level on your mlm journey. Whatever you are so hard focused on. That doesn't mean to quit your day dream. I just want you to see that you can balance both.
Again, don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
May we approach this stage of life with the desire to love like a grandma.
Love like a woman who sees the world through the lens of what truly matters, who has been there and done that and turned to realize that she missed out on what mattered.
What if we worked at building in that opportunity. The opportunity to enjoy our children and work towards a more “instant” gratification lifestyle when it came to the people around us.
To enjoy them here and now, because tomorrow is not promised.
Let’s be women that focus on what matters and strive to create opportunities that align with the ultimate goal of being present and happy in the here and now.
And I’m not talking about being happy the way current pop culture promotes joy. I’m talking about an intentionality that focuses on the future by appreciating the present. It really is a hard thing to do. You almost have to focus on doing it until it becomes habit.
Let's work on structuring our days, our finances, our goals around being present with our children and investing in the TRUE legacy that is a life well lived.
So, instead of filling our days with appointments, with meetings, deadlines, social media postings and never ending chores, fill our moments with laughter, messes, lessons, and heart connections.
The days are long but the years fly by. Time is a thief and you don't want to miss what truly matters most.
May we not be grandmothers forlorn by the moments missed, but women present in the lives of the children we have been entrusted with for this short season of motherhood.