The day had been humid, hot, and long. Warm skin tingled in the cool grip of the night air. A million stars beckoned to my imagination. All senses acutely alive, I listened for the sounds of the night and heard the laughter of neighborhood youngsters, voices kindred to those of my children so many years ago.
For just a moment, I wished the nostalgic wish that crosses every mother’s mind from time to time. I wished that I could go back in time and hear the youthful voices of my children and their friends one more time.
I remembered one supper time after a hectic day full of childhood spats between siblings and the tears that followed. Someone started crying during the meal and near tears myself, I exclaimed, “I wish we could have just one day with no tears.”
Be careful what you wish for. Those days have passed now and, strangely enough, I miss them.
More time, I thought. What would you do if you could have more time? Of course, I don’t know. I can only hope that I would spend it more wisely than I did before. I hope that:
- I would spend more time provoking their laughter and less time stifling their tears.
- More time praising their virtues and less time picking at their faults.
- More time enjoying their present and less time fretting about their future.
I used to joke that if I put a book on each of their heads, it would make them smarter and keep them from growing so fast. As much as we love our children, we can’t keep them young forever. The best we can do is collect and keep the memories they leave with us.