This past week I've sort of had a little "awakening" if you will. I was busy cleaning our house, Ava and Will were both napping, and Cael had been following me from room to room asking me to play a game with him. I was trying to hurry and just kept telling him I would play when I was finished. Well he kept at it, trying to get me to stop what I was doing and just sit and play. Finally he said, "Mom, I'll pay you four dollars if you'll play with me." Are you kidding me? I about lost it. I had been so caught up in what I was doing, and what I thought was so important at the time I didn't even see an opportunity to spend some one on one time with him.
When all is said and done, and my kids are all grown, will I look back on this time in my life and say, "I wish I had cleaned my house more", or "I wish I'd spent more time at the mall" or "I wish I would've watched more episodes of....". The answer is NO. The only thing I will wish I would've done more is spent more time with my kids, played with them more, laughed with them more, taught them more, showed them more love and patience. I can't risk the chance of ever having those regrets.
Whenever I get frustrated with all of the responsibilities that are placed before me, or anything really that would distract me from my most important role, a poem comes to mind that my mom often says. It goes like this:
"I hope that my children look back on today, and see a mom who had time to play. There will be years ahead for cleaning and cooking, for children grow up while we're not even looking. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep. I'm playing with my children, because children don't keep."
-author unknown