The Days Are Long; The Years Are Short

“The days are long; the years are short.” Have you ever heard that saying before? It’s pretty much the way it works. One day you are knee deep in diapers, bottles, and Elmo and the next you are signing your child up for middle school and talking to them about the birds and the bees.

When you look back over the years, you remember all those days seeming to take so long, but together, the years fly by.

My oldest son is almost 13; we are just a few weeks away from this milestone. 13! Teenagehood. My husband and I will be parents of a teenager. How is this possible?

I went to MOPS (we have MOPS Next so you can attend until your youngest is in 8th grade) and I was standing around a bunch of toddlers and preschoolers waiting to get into childcare. I remember those days. When you couldn’t always understand what they were saying, when naps were a must, and when you always had to carry a big bag with tons of snacks.

And really, they don’t seem that long ago. When I think about how my oldest was one of those three-year-olds, ten years ago, I am blown away. Ten years is a long time. Ten years from now he will be turning 23. He could be married! He could have a kid himself! That is crazy to think about.

The truth is, you can’t do anything to stop your children from growing older. That’s what children do. We only have them in our home for 18-19 years. For the rest of our relationship with our kids, they will be adults, making their own decisions, even some we as parents might not agree with.

It’s humbling to think about. That time moves so fast. That the kids will move through each stage and then move on. That we will no longer be an everyday part of their lives.

childhood

I look at my parents, and I can go days without talking to them. I am thankful for Facebook where they get a little taste of my day and what we are up to. It seems so strange to me that someday that will be my boys and me. I can’t imagine it at the moment.

These days, they are still all under my roof. And while they don’t need me as much for the physical things, everyone is pretty much on their own when it comes to the bathroom these days, they still do need me emotionally.

I hope they always know I will be there for them. Whether as a teen with a broken heart or a grown man who can’t figure out what to do next in his career. I hope they feel comfortable bring home their future dates and let me know when they find the right person to marry. I hope I can be a grandma that is involved in their lives, even if it happens to be at a distance.

The days are long, but the years are short. That is just the way life is. And what we do with those days, what we do with those years is what matters.