Carpe Diem?

I just read an article that touched me. Why? Because I could totally see myself in the article. The haggard Mom at the checkout with kids running rampant, pulling candy off shelves, swinging from display cases and rifling through the Lost and Found umbrellas (true story!)  To read the full article, go here. This is my favourite passage though and kind of sums up what this whole parenting thing is all about ... for me anyway.

"I think parenting young children (and old ones, I've heard) is a little like climbing Mount Everest. Brave, adventurous souls try it because they've heard there's magic in the climb. They try because they believe that finishing, or even attempting the climb are impressive accomplishments. They try because during the climb, if they allow themselves to pause and lift their eyes and minds from the pain and drudgery, the views are breathtaking. They try because even though it hurts and it's hard, there are moments that make it worth the hard. These moments are so intense and unique that many people who reach the top start planning, almost immediately, to climb again. Even though any climber will tell you that most of the climb is treacherous, exhausting, killer. That they literally cried most of the way up.

And so I think that if there were people stationed, say, every thirty feet along Mount Everest yelling to the climbers -- "ARE YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF!? IF NOT, YOU SHOULD BE! ONE DAY YOU'LL BE SORRY YOU DIDN'T!" TRUST US!! IT'LL BE OVER TOO SOON! CARPE DIEM!" -- those well-meaning, nostalgic cheerleaders might be physically thrown from the mountain."

So true. Those old ladies in the grocery store who swoon over my girls and tell me to "enjoy every minute because it goes by so fast" have clearly forgotten all the dirty diapers, sleepless nights, throw up at 3:00AM, fights over dinner/clothing choices/activities/TV time/etc, and generally ALL the day to day drudgery that is parenthood. I was initially going to say Motherhood but to be honest, the Dads get it too!

So Moms and Dads out there ... as the author says, CARPE 15 MINUTES! 

CARPE those stolen moments that are gone so fast we wonder if they really happened at all! 

CARPE the quiet after all the kids are FINALLY asleep and you can hear your own thoughts for the first time that day!

CARPE a glass of wine in that quiet moment!! You know you want to!!

I for one am going to curl up on the couch with a book and nurse this flu that is slowly taking over my body (thanks Greg!!) and when I feel better, I will carpe something. Until then it's hot drinks, blankets and indulging in a little whining! :)