Last week I read a post by Jen over at Momalom in which she wondered if she would ever find the balance between embracing the now and looking to the future.
Reading her post made me realize that I’m doing a good job on my New Year’s Goal (I really prefer goal to resolution).
For the past year I’ve had a lot of anxiety over the possibility of Mr. A leaving for college. More specifically, the US Naval Academy. Possibility became reality in December when A received his appointment and I had a Mom Moment.
Like most mothers out there I wanted to put on the brakes. I wanted to stop time. I wondered where the years and my baby boy had gone. I longed for the past and was nervous about the future.
Then I reminded myself (with help from my Sweetie) that we’ve done a great job as parents. Mr. A set his goal, worked hard, and was successful. This in turn, makes us successful as parents (I think).
That’s when I decided that one of my goals for the New Year will be to enjoy the next several months with my eldest son.
The result? I’m much more relaxed and enjoying time I spend with Mr. A. I’ve stopped counting down the days until we leave for the Academy. I’ve stopped longing for the past or wishing for time to stop. Best of all, the anxiety about upcoming changes has gone away and I haven’t had a single Mom Moment.
Of course, all of that might change on June 30th when I kiss my son good-bye and hand him over to the US Navy.
But in the meantime and for the first time in 17 years, I’m embracing and enjoying the now.
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Your Turn
How often do you embrace the now? Do you have anxiety when you look to the future? Do you long for the past? Have you every found that balance?
3 comments:
I have never been able to find the balance. The past was not all the great and the future scares the heck out of me. But it's really hard to learn to live in the here and now.
I am continually baffled by time, the ever-present swirl of the past, present and future. I am not sure I really know what it means to live in the now, but I do try. But, yes, my mind will always bounce back and spring forward. I think on some level this is inevitable...
Yay! I'm glad you're focused on the time you have with him, rather than fretting about the time you don't.
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