words to live by Wednesday...

24 June 2009

No, it's not a new feature, but it sounds good~maybe it will be, or should be. I was going to share a cool trick for bedsheets for WFMW, but these words from Anna Quindlen touched me deeply and are on my mind this week.
Maybe because it's summer.
Maybe because I have kids the exact ages she speaks of.
Maybe because I'm a big "get it done-er. "
Thanks for letting me share:


“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . .
I did not live in the moment enough
.

This is particularly clear now that the moment is
gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed.

I wish I had treasured the doing a little more
and the
getting it done a little less


(Anna Quindlen, Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11; emphasis added)


Thank you Ms. Quindlen.

21 comments

  1. Wow you are right. Right at this moment I went out to break up an argument with my 6 and 4 year old over who can hold the catepillar they just found. And I was trying to get it done quickly so I could get on to the laundry and dishes and then popped in to read this and realized that the catepillar and how they see it is way more important than the other "stuff".
    Gonna get the laundry done and then head out to see what else they caught.
    ~tammy

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  2. Wow, that brought tears to my eyes! Thanks for sharing it...

    Nancy

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  3. This is so inspiring! ;)
    Thanks for sharing the message.

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  4. Thanks for sharing. I have been trying hard to live in the moment. I'm trying hard not to snap at my kids, and to be a little more patient. This time will only last so long!!

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  5. This is so inspiring! Thanks for making stop and take a few minutes to think about what's really important today.

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  6. You are so right. We are all in such a hurry to get things done or just doing things that we let the most important things slip by us. Thanks for the reminder to stop and smell the roses per se.

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  7. Thanks for the motivation to get off the computer and enjoy the two grandchildren who are standing close by. All too soon they'll be in their new home--almost six hours away--and I'll wish they were here. Bye, y'all, I'm gonna go play school and have fun on the slip and slide!

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  8. I 100% agree with that. I cherish those times with my babies because they are growing up way to fast!!!! Love the blog!!!

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  9. So very true!!! They are ours only for a short time. Thanks for the encouragement to enjoy our sweet gifts!!!

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  10. Oh my! Definitely words to ponder. Those kind of moments with my children are over ~ BUT I have grandbabies now. "Treasuring the doing" is officially a part of my plan now.
    Do you mind if I share a bit of this on my blog? I don't have many readers, but I would certainly link back to you.

    Thank you for blessing my heart today!

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  11. oooooooh, tears!!! I have a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old, and some days I COUNT the minutes until bedtime b/c they exhaust me. I need to enjoy them, I know I do!! It's so hard sometimes!!!

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  12. Wow....amen.....that hit me right in the heart. Debbie

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  13. Oh how I needed this reminder today! I find myself all too often NOT living in the moment, NOT enjoying my children the way I should. Why do I get so wrapped up in getting things done? And all the while I am missing what is truly most important right in front of me. Thank you sweet Melissa for sharing this!

    ~Amanda

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  14. Oh so true!!!! Thank you for the important reminder. Why do we care so much about what goes on our blog, or our front door, but neglect the really important things?

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  15. Oh Melissa, you could have written this post just for me. I have been convicted lately about how I am always trying to get something done, and not just enjoying my boys. It is a balance that is hard to strike, but I will continue to work on it. Thanks for sharing this.

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  16. missed this post yesterday, but my mama and I were talking about this very thing recently,, and it is oh so true. My two girls are out of the house now (19, 20) and my son is 14,, and I really see now that I didnt live in the moment enough. Thanks for sharing!

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  17. Tears, tears, tears. This must have been the reason I found your blog today!
    Thanks
    Amy:)
    p.s. I do have shutters on the inside come by and visit, I think their in a post down aways "visit my vintage cottage"

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  18. Tears, tears, tears, first time to your blog There must have been a reason I found you.
    Thanks
    Amy
    p.s.
    I do have shutters onthe inside come by my cottage and take a look, their down a ways in an old post "

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