Today, I was sad.
Sad that my children are growing up oh-so-fast.
Sad that I so often put priority on the to-do list, not on relationships.
Laundry comes before reading
Dishes are more important than playing a game
Vacuuming and dusting and cleaning toilets and let's be real, checking Facebook,
come before riding bikes and catching lizards.
That's not what I would say, of course. If you asked me, I would tell you that building relationships with my family is the priority. But that's not what my life looks like, too much of the time.
And it really stinks because I already know that someday, I am going to look back, and I am going to really really wish that I had picked my boys more and accomplishing less.
So today, I put down the broom, picked up the baby, and headed outside. We jumped on the trampoline and we were happy. If you haven't jumped on a trampoline recently, I highly recommend it. I felt so free and youthful and like I was really living my best life, you know?
And my boys were so excited that I was playing with them. After thirty minutes, they headed for naps, and I returned to my work but it felt different. I think the subliminal resentment, theirs and mine, had receded.
The lesson is so simple, but I must learn it over and over and over again.
This is what I tell myself, too....but don't practice as much as I know I'm going to want to have in the future...Does that make sense?
ReplyDeleteBTW - :) You have pretty feet. :)
So true. I love these reminders.
ReplyDeleteAnd that video makes me sob every single time I watch it. Every time.
oh girl, you are reading my mail. mike and i talked about THIS VERY THING this morning...that i feel very distracted in mothering these days and neglectful of the relationships. i feel as if i am pushing my children away from me and not pulling them towards me...it grieves my heart.
ReplyDeleteSniff, Sniff...my oldest heads off to college in a few short months.
ReplyDeleteJana
Love it Laurel! Thanks for the reminder! I struggle with the same thing a lot but I feel like currently I am fighting to value relationships over the stuff!
ReplyDeleteLaurel, Love that video, infact i saw it the other day after viewing the other two videos you had posted...I guess it was on a link. I'm loving reading your blog again! Thanks to you, I've just gotten acquainted with the Flylady..and have been trying to declutter and get control! Thanks for all the great ideas you post! I've also been inspired to rethink my wardrobe...and start a huge task of downsizing it!
ReplyDeleteJust what I needed to read.
ReplyDeleteThank you.