Children, like the seasons, should enjoy the moment. Isn’t it funny how fast time seems to go by? With children, we seem to keep expecting them to do the following, like going from being a baby to a toddler, from playing in the park to playing in the schoolyard. The seasons seem to follow this same pattern. We’re still waiting for the next holiday season to roll in before we’ve even enjoyed it! I refuse to be drawn into this. I want to enjoy every stage and every season while I’m at it.
We started watching TV commercials in September for the Christmas tree lights! We have the two main holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving before Christmas rolls around. I love the fall season and will continue to enjoy it without thinking about Christmas. I’m going to enjoy the colors, the smells, and the beautiful changes of each season while I’m here, without thinking about the next vacation.
Similarly, when you have a baby and you are sitting in the dark silence of the night, you are waiting for the moment when he sleeps through the night. Once that happens, you are waiting for it to crawl and then walk. But stop and take a moment to enjoy each of those stages in your life. Crying or being tired in the middle of the night doesn’t seem like they leave you much to appreciate, but you will never be this close to your baby again. It’s just you and him. Nothing else in the world matters more than that. Enjoy that moment. Very soon, you will be just a part of their world, not their entire world. Hug him, love him, and cherish those quiet (and loud) moments between the two of you. Keep doing it at each stage. Enjoy each and every season of your life for what it is.
To me, it seems like the Christmas season is a lot like children holding arms to school; It seems to happen so fast! Take the time to appreciate each and every step. Try not to rush it or miss it while waiting for the next milestone. I liken the long, cold, dark winter period between Christmas and Memorial Day to the adolescent stage of children. If any of you have been in your teens, I think you know why. That time seems like it will never end! Have faith; Like the seasons, this too will pass and continue as usual. Try not to rush it; work to create some of those moments that you will want to remember for years to come. This season is as important, if not more so, than any other. Celebrate with them and enjoy the moments because this season will pass too.