Don't Carpe Diem

Three weeks ago, a Facebook friend shared Glennon at Momastery's blog post, 2011 Lesson #2 : Don’t Carpe Diem .  I immediately shared it as well, and it spread like wildfire among our mommy friends.  I have already re-read the post a half dozen times, and I'm linking it here so I can quickly refer back to it in the future.
  
The essence of the post is that all parents will inevitably run into someone (friend, family, or friendly stranger) who conveys the well-meaning message to Carpe Diem.  Seize the Day.  Enjoy Every Moment.  While we can appreciate the sentiment that our little ones won't be little forever, we're usually nodding and smiling and thinking to ourselves, Was I really supposed to enjoy this morning's diaper explosion that resulted in emergency bathing of two adults and a baby?  Then the panic sets in:  Am I missing out on some crucial part of the parenting experience if I'm not enjoying every moment? Am I a bad parent if I do not cherish every second that I spend attending to my child?

With the perfect blend of humor and truth, Glennon's post takes a fresh look at this topic and tells us that it is perfectly ok to not enjoy every moment; because, quite frankly, day-to-day parenting is an exhausting challenge.  Rather, she encourages us to recognize those those brief, beautiful moments that make parenting worthwhile.  When you glance up and see your baby smiling over at you, or you hear giggles and laughter coming from the next room, stop whatever you are doing and really look at your kids  Seize these moments.  Soak them in.  Record them in your memory.  And when you're strung out from sleepless nights, or you're wallowing in the the monotony and drudgery of daily parenting, tap into those memories to remind yourself exactly what makes parenting so special.     

I am sure, for years to come, I will be revisiting this post time and time again.  Whether your children are young, grown, or still on your "to do" list, this post is a must read.

http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/.


P.S.  I simply cannot wait until the first time I catch myself blathering the "enjoy every moment" message to a couple of brand new parents.   I'll have to try to remember to immediately turn around and refer them to this blog post!