She skipped and twirled into the room, her pink and purple tutu skirt like a streak of pastel watercolor. It was my granddaughter’s sixth birthday, and she couldn’t contain her excitement. Her unicorn headband, sparkly nail polish, and braided hair with a huge purple bow had been carefully chosen by her for her big celebration.
Her unbridled laughter brought an unexpected stab to my heart.
I raised three girls, so I know about that sixth birthday.
It’s the bridge to being a big girl.
And I wasn’t quite ready to see our little girl go.
I wanted to hold on to her affection for twirly skirts and stuffed animals, dolls and read-to-me books, singing at the top of her lungs, and dress-up clothes.
Letting Go
My granddaughter opened her gifts and, without being prompted, paused to thank each giver. She was acting like a big girl, and I smiled at the realization that growing up is nice, too.
Big girls tell funny stories and have long conversations in the car. In time, they learn how to reach out to others and what it means to be a good friend.
In all honesty, I enjoyed every season of my own three daughters’ growing-up years. First there was the fascination of infancy, the wide-eyed innocence of preschoolers, and the matter-of-factness of early childhood. Then came the self-identification of middle school and the absolute blast of high school before they ventured on to make their own way at college.
I loved each evolving season more than the previous one.
As my granddaughter invited her friends to circle up and dance with, I prepared my heart for what I knew was right around the bend.
“There is a right time for everything” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, TLB), even letting go of the precious, fleeting season of being a little girl.
HOW TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT
No matter how many times well-meaning (normally older) people tell you to “embrace the moment,” time flies while you’re trying your best to “live in the moment.” For a lot of moms, that kind of helpful advice turns into yet another reason to feel pressure and/or guilt because, let’s face it, not every moment is one you feel like embracing.
VIEW YOUR LIFE IN SEASONS
In the deep South where I live, summers are long, hot, and humid. After a few weeks of sleeveless tops and visits to the lake or a pool, I find myself longing for fall. Then, once I’ve had my fill of apple cinnamon and pumpkin everything, I’m ready to bundle up on cold winter nights. But it doesn’t take long for me to grow weary of the cold, and soon all I can think of is the first warm day of spring.
That’s how it is with the seasons of our lives. Each one brings a mixture of joy and relief.
We won’t necessarily want to embrace every moment of our lives, but we can embrace each season. Every season is filled with embraceable moments.
RECOGNIZE THAT SEASONS DON’T LAST
Living in the moment is more attainable with the recognition that where you are is a season that won’t last. Each season brings moments that make you giddy and others that make you want to pull your hair out. But eventually the season will be gone, making way for a new one.
No one described the passage of time better than King Solomon. Interlaced within the beauty of each season is the reality of moments that are difficult:
There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
So, live in the moment by being acutely aware that it’s a season of life that won’t last. And when life is hard, hold on to the sure hope that a new season is just around the corner.
