The spaces between

We all know that time goes way too fast as you grow older, but some things make us turn around and truly wonder, where the hell did that time go?! Having a child is a major reminder of this simple fact of life.

I remember when my daughter was a baby and people would tell me to enjoy this time, that it all goes by so quickly. It took me a while to take this on board. In the first 3 months my initial reaction to this comment was ‘thank god, this can’t go fast enough!’ I suffered terribly with the addition of a new born and felt like my life had been taken away from me. I looked longingly out the window at sunset and wondered if I would ever be able to enjoy a run on the beach at this time of day again, or was I destined to be chained to the couch with a crying, feeding baby forever? Of course in time, and with a lot of help from Yoga, Meditation and great Husband, it all passed and now I am being faced with my precious girl heading off to school, to begin the next phase of her life without me by her side. I am absolutely devastated.
Although this separation is extremely difficult I’m also extremely grateful.

I’m grateful that I had the presence of mind, access to assistance from many different places, and the knowledge that all passes with time and this helped me embrace each new challenge of motherhood. When my little one hit around 6 months my fog started to pass and I remember having a major revelation that my baby was going to grow up, she was going to walk and talk, go to kindy and school, and eventually leave home, what the hell was I doing wishing this time away? I began to go the other way – I would hold on to clothes a little longer than necessary, I kept her back from going to kindy until she was dying to get around other kids and I embraced (most!) moments in her company. I woke up and discovered the true meaning behind ‘this too shall pass’. Of course there have been times of frustration and looking forward to bedtime, but then she will turn around and say something that makes me look at this little person I helped create in awe of her beauty and perfection.

Too often it is not until we are faced with loss that we truly appreciate what we have. For so many of us it is just a matter of getting through each day until the weekend, but isn’t most of our lives lived through the week? At what point do we actually realise….this is it, this is life? For me it was sooner rather than later, but even so I sometimes still find myself wishing away the mundane tasks to get to something better. It is the everyday tasks we perform, like making dinner and cleaning up, as well as time spent with our family and friends that make up life. Not often do we get to experience the truly unique, fabulous and exciting moments of life – no matter what you see on social media – the main show is the in the spaces between.

It is a new year, with new beginnings everywhere, perhaps it is time we all lived for this moment, this day, in whatever is going on right now, before it is all gone.

image

Submit your review
1
2
3
4
5
Submit
     
Cancel

Create your own review

HappyFit
Average rating:  
 1 reviews
 by Tricia
spaces in between

Reading this made me cry both happy and sad tears, u have so much knowledge and appreciate every moment ! I as a young mum was usually time poor due to work, obsessed with the cleaning etc and am sure let many moments pass me by!! I know I did the best I could at the time, now as a Nanna I see life in such a different light, I do treasure every second and try to point out in the nicest way to my family just how quickly life does infact pass us by!!! I do mundane tasks with a lighter heart and concentrate on spending time with my family and friends as time is the most precious gift we can give and we can never get that time back again. I feel so blessed to have watched you as a mum/friend grow and guide dear Lotus who is such a beautiful soul just like her mamma xoxox

There are 2 comments on this post

  1. Tanele
    15 hours ago

    Alicia- your words always touch me but this one actually made me sob.
    You are so so right… What a privilege it is to be blessed with mundane daily tasks. Too many people in this world struggle to have even the most basic human rights and I can only imagine what they would give to swap just one day of their life for one of ours. Just one!!
    Thankyou again for your beautiful reminders.l and for sharing Lotus’s first school day with us! She is amazing and so are you!!
    Mwa xxxx

    Reply
  2. Nicole
    15 hours ago

    Such a beautiful blog . ❤️

    Reply

Leave your thought