Wishing our lives away is something so many of us do. Instead of enjoying the moment—although changing a poopy diaper is far from enjoyable—we often look toward the next thing, the next stage, the tomorrow. But a few moments staring into your baby’s eyes and sharing a smile while changing a diaper can be a special time, a time that passes far too quickly. And it’s moments like this that never come back.

My children are now all adults and although I am still treated to some precious moments with them, I wish I had more fully enjoyed each stage in their lives. I wish I had picked them up more and hugged them more. I wish I had lingered longer in their bedrooms when I put them to bed instead of rushing out to fold the laundry or clean the house or pick up my knitting needles. I wish I had volunteered more at school instead of passing these opportunities off to others. I wish that I hadn’t impatiently rushed them through their stories about school or friends or whatever nonsense they were talking about. I wish I had taken less of “my own time” and had had more time with them.

I recently discovered a great book for young mothers: “Let Me Hold You Longer” by Karen Kingsbury. (You can get it through Amazon.) It’s a great reminder for too-busy mothers of what’s really important. Too bad I didn’t have such a book 20 years or so ago. If I had, maybe I would have been a lot smarter mother!