Some Things I've Learned

I am sometimes surprised at how my mind works.  Not necessarily in a good or bad way, but jumping from one thing to another.   Daughter #1 was telling me about an on-line friend of hers that has written 3 books.  Her name is Ellen Meister and the latest book  that Daughter #1 was reading is called, "The Other Life", about the direction a woman's life would have taken had she made a different decision when that fork in the road presented it's self.   Who hasn't thought that.  What if...???  I think we all would keep things the way they turned out because of children, or husbands, or any other circumstance that would have been affected.  I know I would have saved myself a lot of pain had I done things differently, but, I have a wonderful family now that I would still want, in spite of all the bad stuff.  It is like the Garth Brooks song, "The Dance". 

But, along the way there are a few things I've learned.

1.  You can never hold a baby too much.  You can never get enough of the sweet smell of that little neck and enough kisses on those little toes.  You only have months to get enough to last you a lifetime.  Then it's gone.

2.  Play dirt is the best dirt.  I loved seeing my daughters dirty from head to foot in the summer.  It was fun dirt.  Clothes and sticky fingers wash.

3.  The next time you have a family holiday "get together", take a minute to just stop and watch.  Give yourself the gift of that memory.  When our family lost my  Mother, 4  1/2 years ago, those big family gatherings stopped.  Adult children moved out of state or had commitments with their families and in-laws.  I didn't realize how precious those gatherings were.  I was too busy serving and being the hostess. I wish I had savored the moments.

4.  Remember your last first kiss.   That one I do remember.  It was nearly 30 years ago and I knew it was special then.

5.  Tell the woman in the mirror that she is beautiful.   She will never be younger, have less wrinkles, or need your love less.  I've been very critical of that woman in the mirror and I should have been much kinder.  I wish I had realized this years ago. I am still working on it.

6. Children do not come with instructions.  There is not a handbook on  husbands or wives.  Parents don't have all the answers.  We are all a work in progress.

7.  There are not enough hugs.....

8.  Bleacher butt is worth it.

If you've ever read this blog, you know I love music. This is one song that touches my heart, partly because my daughters have a similiar age differnce as well.