"The days are long but the years are short". We have all heard this quote at one time or another. When you're young it doesn't make any sense. How can days be long, but years short?? I remember thinking that once myself. Just shaking my head and chalking it up to someone's supposed middle aged wisdom. Then one day, I knew what it meant. I cannot pinpoint the day that I had this revelation, I'm sure it was a series of events that made it all clear. Events like Pre-K graduations, 5th grade clap-outs, middle school dances and the long awaited high school graduation. These things make you realize that the day to day tedium of raising a family soon just melds into many years passing by, leaving you with memories of the little children you once shared your entire day with (literally from sun up to sun down- in many cases to sun up again).
This week another milestone will happen in our family, proof once again how short the years actually are. My oldest child will turn 18 this week. This child, who seemingly just came into my life , has actually been here for 18 years. And believe me , when he was a baby the days were looooong. He was colicky, then he was a biter, then extremely active...well you get the picture . It was very trying as a young mother to deal with those early years, I remember thinking will this child EVER sleep? HA! The answer to that question is a resounding YES, but it took a while. In that while , our lives were going by. He was going to kindergarten, while I was home with a toddler, and a big belly. He was entering middle school , while my youngest was entering his first year of school. He was in high school for what seemed like a nano second. Homecomings, talent shows, football games, baseball games, awards nights...all just a blip on the radar of his childhood. All things I will be forever grateful that I got to share. Then just like that it was over. Those seemingly long days morphed into 18 quick years. And the other two children are hot on his heels.
So, now that I am at a point in my life where my children sleep late(ridiculously LATE) , can be taken out in public without any meltdowns, and eat and poop on their own I realize the meaning of that old saying. I am sometimes wistful of those long days which did not only have the tantrums and the constant feeding/changing schedule ; it also had the hugs, playgroups and unconditional love that comes with having babies. The days were so long because they were jam packed with it all. The years seem short because while we are in it we are not taking it all in enough. Then, one day your supposed middle aged wisdom kicks in and you know exactly how short the years are. And you cry a little, you smile a lot at all that has already happened and you look forward to experiencing all the rest with the little lives that have now become big ones. I'm lucky, I have 2 more children to still enjoy the seemingly " little" stuff with. Only difference is, now I know it's actually the "big" stuff .
