Missing the Past




It's not often that I feel that tinge of longing for days gone by. I am so blessed that living in the moment is just fine with me. Emery and I plan for the future but I am not one to sit around thinking about what has happened and what might happen in the future. There is a lot of living to do right in the moment. But today, I saw something that made me miss a part of my life.
When I was in Emery's office this morning, there was a young father there with 4 little boys, the oldest one was maybe 8 years old and the little one 2 or 3. They were sweet little ones, their long sleeve shirts, dark pants with suspenders, and bare feet reminded me of my own boys. These little men were so filled with enthusiasm for life. It made me have a longing for those days once again when small feet ran down the hallway, laughter always close behind.
I felt a loss for the days of baking and cooking for hungry little people. Stacks of pancakes standing tall . Little girls dresses hanging across the line...rows of small black stockings strung across the clothesline. I felt a longing to once again sit on the sofa, flanked by eager ears as we read together. The lamplight flickering merrily.
I know that my grandchildren will give me glimpses of those times. I know that Grandma and Grampa will have the joy of praying and reading to little ones once again, but it just seemed to me today that those days of our own children's growing years, passed so quickly.
I miss the row of black shoes, all lined up on Saturday night, polished and ready for church the next morning. I miss the joy that spills out of children as they discover new things, see the birth of a animal, wait for birthdays, and take steps towards adulthood.
Today reminded me of those times, those happy moments so filled with busy-ness and that wonderful peace when you looked at sleeping heads, nearly buried under mounds of quilts.
Life is still profoundly good, just different. Our children still give us such joy....just its different than those early days when there never seemed to be enough hours to get things done.
It does feel good to look at life now and see that our children have grown into such fine adults.

Comments

Annie said…
What sweet pictures and such wonderful memories! Our children do grow faster than we realize, one day they are little shadows following us around and the next day it seems they are grown up and starting families of their own. Your post made me take a trip down memory lane, when my Girls were young...Thank You!
Jenny said…
You do have your wonderful memories Patty and when you were in those times you were truly there , in the moment. That is a wonderful treasure, many miss it all because they are thinking about the future not today.
Gift of Green said…
Oh gosh, I'm at those days and they are passing like a blur. Great post. Thank you.
nancyr said…
Those of us who were lucky enough to be at home when our children were little ones, are so lucky. To be able to remember the things you are remembering, instead of having our children's childhood lost in schedules, deadlines, frustration over commuting, grumpy bosses, feeling like you are spending life on a treadmill is truly a blessing. I have been in both places, and being at home creating childhood memories is definitely the best way to live. Children remember the time we spend with them, not what we bought for them with the money we earned, away from them, at a job.
mikesgirl said…
The years home with my children were the best years of my life. My hear breaks for my daughter who has a demanding career and isn't home with her babies.

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