I had a conversation with my mum the other day. She’s very wise, my mum.
“Live in the here and now. You never know what’s around the corner. Life’s too short,” she said.
She’s right, you know.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily grind. The daily struggle and juggle. Daily worries, long-term planning, anxious what ifs.
But these aren’t the things I’ll take with me when I’m gone.
THIS is the memory I’ll take with me. My daughter sitting on her dad’s knee, waving at passers by as she rides the train on a family day trip.
Seeing the gold medal won in the running race by my hypermobile daughter and knowing she’s finally holding her own when it comes to walking, romping across the finish line in the Toddler Olympics at her childminder’s:
Sitting in the sunshine on a Friday afternoon in our local pub, enjoying a cold G&T as my two year old sips juice and waves to canal boats passing by.
There’s been too much sadness recently. Stories of people I know going through all sorts of difficult and painful experiences. It shouldn’t take hearing of these to make me wake up and realise I need to stop fretting.
My mum’s right. Life’s too short.
***
It would seem it’s not just my mum who’s wise.
I recently read two posts which really resonated with me, so I’d like to link to them here. This one by Ben at Goodbye, Pert Breasts and this one by Jane at Northern Mum had me nodding along in agreement. My mum would absolutely agree.
wise words miss molly x
It’s my mum – she’s a clever one.
When Joseph was born at 27 weeks I learnt that in buckets, you have to live and appreciate every moment.
On day 5 we were told Joseph wouldn’t make it, that was in the morning. In the afternoon I was sat by his incubator stroking his foot singing 5 little ducks.
His doctor came to me and said “you don’t understand, your baby could die”, and I looked at him and said “you don’t understand, I’ve lost two babies before birth, and right now, in this moment, I have live baby and I am going to enjoy him, don’t take this moment away from me”
And 3 and a quarter years later I have a healthy young man!
As the Old Book says, each day has enough trouble of its own, – live in the moment, drink them in!
Ohh, this totally made me cry, Kylie. Go Joseph, and go you, awesome Mama xx
Kylie, you have it exactly spot on. I’m going to keep coming back to this comment any time I forget the importance of living in the moment. Thank you. x
Very true. I keep having to tell myself the same thing. No one knows when their time is up, so better make sure every day is worth remembering x
It’s a good motto I think.
Lovely, lovely post Molly. You (and your Mum!) are both so right. The only way to make sense of the world is by appreciating the tiny moments. Gorgeous pics xx
Thanks Ruth – my mum is a clever lady!
Wonderful post-brought a tear to my eye. Thanks for reminding us how important the here and now is lovely. Gorgeous pics too x
Hope the tears were because you’re pregnant and hormonal and not because I was all sombre on you! Thank you for reading and for your lovely comment. x
Gorgeous photos and such true words. It’s easy to get caught up in thoughts about what happens next but it’s tragic to miss the beauty of the moment.
It is – and so easily done. x
I’ve been feeling this myself lately a few events lately have affected me and made me realise the little things that are important. Still it’s made me embark on lots of long-term planning & stress to make some big changes too xx
Long term planning really helps too – to have things to work towards and look forward to, helps punctuate the daily routine. Thank you for inspiring me to book some fun days out! x