The Speed of Life

I'm shocked these days at the rate that life is speeding by. It seems that one week begins, and before I know it, it's the weekend again. I have so many plans and ideas and goals and it seems as though life won't slow down enough for me to actually put any of these plans into action. I'm barely keeping up with the basic tasks of life, or so it would seem. I feel stressed a lot these days, trying to juggle all of the important things - spending time with my family, homeschooling the girls, co-op obligations, hanging out with friends, finding time for myself. It's a difficult balancing act. It always feels like somehow the scales are always tipped too far in one direction or another.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how much life changes. It's easy when I'm in the middle of something, to assume that it's always going to be this way. Life, particularly life with children, is all about stages, and we never know how long those stages are going to last.

I think back to the days when Emma was an infant, those cuddly mornings when she and I would curl up in bed together after Chris had left in the morning, dozing off again and just enjoying the warmth and the relaxation. At the time it never occurred to me that days like those were limited in number, and so I should enjoy every single one of them.

I think about when Molly was a baby, all those late nights that I would fall asleep on the couch, watching television while she was breastfeeding. Or when she was a smiley, toothless little baby, determined to move under her own power.

All of those days are long gone.

We have some friends who are moving away. Neighbours, and another elderly couple that live a few blocks away. We're sad to see both of them go. It never really occurred to me that we should enjoy these people more while they were still in our lives. It's so easy to take things for granted.

I'm doing my best these days to enjoy more the joyful moments while I'm in the middle of them. Giggling with the girls over something silly. All four of us snuggling in bed together, tickling and teasing and having fun. Middle of the night snuggles from Molly when she makes her way into our bed. Teaching Emma to read. All of these are things that aren't going to last forever. Sure, our lives will morph into something else wonderful and fun and memorable, but the time we have right now is only fleeting....not here forever.

I need to enjoy it while it's here.