Wednesday Wisdom Tip – Time Won’t Wait

I didn’t want to…yet I did want to.

Hungry, cold and dirty, my girl walked through the door, home from softball practice. She wanted a snack, to talk and a hot shower; in that order. I wanted…to keep writing. I was on a roll and it was going to tear me up to walk away.

Yet, I did. I put my computer aside, popped some chicken wings in the microwave and sat down to hear about my girl’s day.

That’s not so easy for me to do. Like many of you, deadlines loom in my mind. Book deadlines, speaking deadlines, dinner and dirty clothes deadlines; all calling me to make them my first priority. Sometimes I do, but on my wise days, I don’t.

See, today, while in the process of making another decision about what will get my time, I remembered something; something really important. My girls will be gone all too soon. These years in high school will be a part of our memories before I know it. I want me, listening to them, giving them my attention to be a part of those memories.

Hopefully, I’ll get to write books, speak to women, make dinners and wash clothes for many more years to come. But the days of softball stories and tales of German class will not last forever. There is a temptation in these independent teen years to back off…maybe too much. Whether they admit it or not, our kids want us there; to hear their stories and learn about their days.

So join me. Walk away from the computer. Turn off the phone. One day, we’ll look back and be glad we did.

Lynn

9 Comments

  1. Oh Lynn–

    That speaks to my heart soooooo clearly! Today is (as our daughter put it) “the first day of my last semester of high school.” Our son is home for a few more days before he goes to college. I’m giving them as much time as I possibly can. It is not easy! But when I look at their baby pictures and remember the moments of childhood…and then see how they just seem like last week…everything else can be on the back burner for a few more days.

  2. With one child in their last year of high school and another in their first, this definitely speaks volumes to me. Time is so precious. We won’t regret finishing that “one last thing” as much as we will any lost, valuable time with our children. Thank you for sharing!

  3. Gail Castillo says:

    Your post today and on Monday brought me to tears … and I thank you. I’ve been in a “stuck” place the past year for many reasons. Slowly, I’m getting it. Thankfully our Father is so very patient with me!

    1. Thanks so much for sharing Gail! A soft heart is a very good thing….

  4. Excellent reminder — Thanks!!

  5. They’re gone but they come back some weekends! If I hadn’t spent the time listening to them and talking with them, sharing my faith with them, and praying with them, I don’t think our relationships would be as good. It is so important for us as parents to make our children’s needs a priority! We need to get to know them as the wonderful people they are. I love my kids AND I like them! They are now 26, 23, and 21.

  6. This is so true, Lynn! Thanks for sharing. My daughter is also a senior. Last evening, I was feeling under the weather with a headcold, but she plopped down beside in bed and took a short nap with me. I had promised to review her college app. for errors and help her narrow down her ideas for one of her (many) essays. After my nap, I did just that. I will treasure those moments and I am blessed she shares so many things with me. Although I will miss her, I look forward to hearing about her new chapter in life next year.

    1. So many of us have children close to the same age…my middle is a junior and my youngest a freshman. I just can’t believe how fast life is going!

  7. So true! My 14 yr old daughter went with me last night to snuggle a baby girl while her mother bathed two toddler sons and put them down for the night (their dad is out of town this week). How it punctuated what you’ve written here!
    My two sons are in 4th and 5th grades and listening to my friend with those little boys as I snuggled a baby girl really showed me how quickly it passes. I’m so glad God has stilled me to be present more than I was as a younger mother. I cannot regret the days past where I didn’t treasure as much as I should have, but I’ve got this day!

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