Monday, September 27, 2010

Enjoying Moments

I walked into my living room this morning to view the new arrangement on my coffee table. It's the working of my three year old granddaughter who proudly announced yesterday, "I decorating!" She had taken items from around the room, combined them together, and then carefully topped the sugar mold with mini gourds.
Her decorating makes me smile and reminds me to relax and enjoy this moment in time.
Author Anna Quindlen, in her book Loud and Clear, said, "The biggest mistake I made [as a mother] is the one that most of us make. ... I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of [my children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."
I have that same regret with my own children. And so for today, and perhaps for a few days to come, I will bask in the beauty created by my three-year-old interior decorator.

20 comments:

Janelle said...

She has quite an eye for arranging! I'm sure those little gourds make you smile every time you see them!

Lincoln and Alisia said...

That is so cute.

mely said...

You are always on time with your writing. I hurry so much to get things done when my boy sometimes asks me for a hug. Then, I remember that soon he will be gone to college and I will miss him and his hugs. How easy it is to lose our sense of living the present.

Mely

Mrs. B said...

How cute! I love being a grandmother. I have a 2 year old granddaughter that is the light of my life. I think with age we grow wiser and realize that all the hustle and bustle in life really isn't where we find true joy. It's little moments with the ones we love that we cherish.

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

That's why God was good enough to give us grandchildren, Joy! Because he knows, and this is our second chance while we are wiser.

Your little decorator sounds like a chip off the ole block! Mine just turned 2 months on Friday and I am not rushing anything. She can take her time; I'm in no hurry for tea parties and dress up and any of that. I just enjoy it when we look at each other intently as if we are sizing each other up! : )

A New England Life said...

What mother isn't in a hurry? After all, there's only so many hours of daylight and there's SO much to do! It was the same thing for our moms. But oh, there are days that I DO remember what we ate, or how we laughed, or cried. I really do.

I agree with Kathy, grandchildren are for a second chance. Hopefully I have a while before they come along too ; )

You did take a picture of your granddaughter with her masterpiece, right?

Enjoying the Sweetness said...

I am getting ready to have my third girl any day now, and am constantly running around the house folding laundry, cleaning up, dusting, vacuuming, cooking and I do regret not being able to sit down with my girls and just play or read. But the stress of not being ready if I have to leave at any minute for the hospital is overwhelming. I say after baby it is PLAY time!

Daisy Chick said...

I love that quote and think of it often. I think you captured the sentiment beautifully. For me it has become recognizing an opportunity to live in the moment. There are days where that is not possible but as I keep that thought in the forefront of my mind, I am better able to recognize the moment and then try to seize it. I love that you posted this too, because my children love helping me decorate for holidays, it never looks the way I had envisioned but we sure have fun together, and they are testing out their creative muscles. I love your table arrangement and even more that you blogged about it.

Kathy said...

This warms my heart

Beth said...

I always enjoy looking at your blog! I am a stay-at-home mom. I love HOME! And I enjoy decorating and changing things up for the seasons. This particular topic hits close to home. I am a "doer". A "list-checker". So I am despertately trying to enjoy the moment. Thanks for this post!

Katie said...

So lovely!

Mommy Mac said...

it is my hope and prayer each and every day that I take time, even just for a millisecond, and revel in the NOW of my 2 boys at our home.

Thank you for your exactly punctual words.

I do love reading you.

.mac :)

Mimi Sue said...

Amen! Mimi

Crazymamaof6 said...

darling! thank you for the reminder to live in the moment a little more.

linda said...

I love that you take the time to appreciate the everyday little things. I, too, wish I would have done that more when I was younger. I have decided that that is what grandkids are for! You should check out Katie at http://hipposanddinosaurs.blogspot.com/ She is young but seems to have this all figured out. She is also having a giveaway this week.

elizabeth said...

And seriously - is there anything better than something a 3 year old granddaughter creates? Good for you for loving the beauty she saw.

Connie said...

I love this post. I need this reminder to take the time and ENJOY my grandchildren in a way that I was too busy to do when my children were young. I agree with Kathy@creative home expressions, the Lord is merciful and lets us have, in part, some do overs with our grandchildren.

Lynda said...

I can relate to your post!
When I was decorating & organizing the playroom I thought it would be fun to have 2 of our Grandcuties come and help. They loved it and even helped me make some nice framed wall art.
Thank you for your blog entries! I really enjoy everything that you share with us.
With Love, Lynda in Gilbert, AZ

Gale said...

The best advice my mother ever gave me was "take a picture instead of yelling" when your child does something. These will be precious memories..like the time my daughter took all of her cloth diapers and mounded them in the toilet to "help" mom. I love that picture of her proudly showing her "helping". Now 32 and a soon to be mother herself, I will give her the same advice. See the joy in their creativity.

Debbie said...

Your grandaughter is SOOO preciousA! That is one of the cutest things that I have ever read. Thanks for the perspective pause on being "in the moment". That's a good reminder for moms/dads/grandmas/grandpas etc. and for us teachers as well. We need to do this on a daily basis to make teaching the blessing that it truly is. Thanks!

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