Our journey today goes back just a few years, but it feels more like a dozen. It’s from a part of my life that was so fleeting, but at the time felt like it would never end…the mom-of-a-baby-and-preschooler years!
I became a stay-at-home mom when my second daughter was about 9 months old. Before children I was a successful corporate employee working my way up the ladder, so to speak.
It was a tough transition to be home all day, every day with my little ones. While I treasured it, I also craved alone time and was more than a bit depressed about no longer having a “job” at which to excel. Because frankly, I didn’t feel all that successful as a mom. I had two precious girls, but I was so worried about doing everything “right” as a parent that I was forgetting to just enjoy the ride
As a way to break up the monotony of days at home we often took morning “walks.” Any parent of toddlers knows that these walks were more meandering than anything else as we were frequently distracted by bugs and birds and dogs. At first this annoyed me. How was I supposed to burn any calories if we stopped every 5 feet to stare at ants? And then one day, everything changed.
“There are diamonds in the grass, Mommy!”
“Oh, yes, honey! The dew fairies must have come last night.” I said absentmindedly, while I silently lamented that we would now be spending the next 10 minutes admiring the grass. And then it happened. I actually bent down to her level and looked at the dew.
It took my breath away. Water droplets sparkling as far as the eye could see. A brilliant display of God’s beauty made simply out of grass, water, and sunshine. In that moment, I got it. I could spend the rest of my life speeding through life with my own agenda or I could slow down and appreciate the gifts right in front of my nose.
I wish I could say that I’ve been forever changed, but the fact is that I still struggle to enjoy the simple gifts in life. I know my tendency is to make life a race. But hopefully I’m learning to balance it a bit better. It’s a matter of perspective after all…
