Today’s Mantra: My kids are my joy
Seriously lucky. But it takes constant reminders.
Last night I slept in the spare room. At 12:30am Jules woke up crying and was beside himself that Dad went in and not me. Daniel was there for ages but couldn’t calm him. He was beyond reason. We left him for a bit and then I went in. Lay down with him, stroked his forehead till I thought he was asleep. As I tried to creep out he sat up and started bawling. Now furious with him I left the room. He was quiet for a while then started up again. We brought him in with us. Though he was quiet I was squashed between two people and it was unpleasant. I couldn’t sleep.
Half an hour later I crept off to the spare room for five hours of blissfully uninterrupted sleep. I was going to write a funny/complainy blog about it.
But….this morning I got a reminder to treasure each and every moment. This morning I was lucky enough to be able to get up and hug my children.
I still have tears in my eyes from reading something my girlfriend shared on facebook. An article on Mamma Mia that talked about a blog called Rockstar Ronan.
I read the article with my stomach churning. A Mum was writing about her little four year old boy Ronan who had cancer. The blog was started to keep friends and family up to date with Ronan’s cancer. She wrote,
“Being alone during these nights I find myself looking back at my life before this. It was so perfect it was unreal. Did I take too much for granted?Absolutely. While I was home today I walked into my closet and was immediately filled with embarrassment and shame. All those clothes, shoes, purses…. and for what? None of that matters. None of that is real happiness.
Once we get through this and are home with Ronan, I have a new plan for how I will live my life with my beautiful family. A new life for all of us full of wanting and needing nothing except for the love of family and friends that surround us.”
God how that resonates with me. My family is everything to me, who cares about the rest of it.
I was hopeful that the story would turn out well but Ronan died and now she writes to him and for him, in his memory. Taylor Swift wrote a song for him, which is on the link. Reading the words I cried so hard for him, for his mother, for her courage, for other families experiencing the same sorrow.
If I have learned anything through my own experience it is this, hug your children after reading this out of joy for having them, not fear of them being taken from you.
Joy is so much more powerful than fear. Joy can change the world. Joy can inspire. Joy will ensure that your life is fulfilled.
Treasure every moment.
So moving. And so true. Thanks for the reminder to Treasure every moment. I do need to be reminded at times!!
Its so hard to be positive ALL the time but reminders are good. I am still teary every time I think of that line about bare feet padding down the hall.
You are so right…why get caught up with the small, material things…we have our health and each other, it’s all that matters xxx
yep incredibly grateful xx
very touching hon, nothing is more important than the love for your children xx
Wiping away tears – how easily I get frustrated with my two beautiful boys – but I’m so lucky to have them. Thanks for reminding me……..