I remember it as if it were yesterday! After my kids had all grown up and moved out of the house, I suddenly realized I had literally blinked and they were gone. Literally. Just. One. Blink! Or so it seemed. What in the world happened? How did I race through my kid’s growing up years like the speed of lightening?! All of the “lasts” that I had no clue were indeed A LAST.
I don’t know about you, but I’m very sensitive. Maybe TOO SENSITIVE. I cry at the drop of a hat…Now I have a difficult time parting with some of my children’s things when they were young. The stuffed teddy bear my daughter received when she was born from the Hair Company I worked for at the mall in Charleston, South Carolina. My youngest son’s Buzz Light Year. My oldest son’s baseball glove.
When I saw this meme it hit me like a ton of bricks. Every soft ball game we ever went to with our daughter. I remember virtually every cheer that we chanted from the bleachers; a pure unadulterated adrenaline rush. The excitement was tangible. Our son’s baseball games. Cheering until we went hoarse. Seeing our son Shawn pitching a no hitter or getting his opponents out on first base. Our youngest son Chad performing miracles on second base or catching pop flies in the outfield for the win.
Watching every play and every human video they were in at their youth group at church. Dropping them off for camp in the summer. Every birthday party they had. Every sleep over.
Well, you get the gist here. Just a tiny synopsis of their growing up years. Take a trip down memory lane. What activities were your kids in? What memories do you treasure? What other moments do you remember as if it were yesterday.
When we are in the thick of it, we get caught up in each and every moment. And we don’t necessarily think of every moment as a LAST ONE. Perhaps if we focused too much on the “Lasts” we’d be emotional messes.
On the other hand, I think it’s good to make the most of every single moment. To put our phones down and be present. To treasure our family and our dear friends. To take in those meaningful moments and the words spoken that rocked our worlds.
So today, I end with these wise words from the person who wrote this meme: “So, be where your feet are. Look people in the eye. Say what you mean. Feel it fully. Because the ordinary moments…they’re only ordinary until they are gone.”
