Being Present

Monday, September 1, 2014

I'm finding these last days of summer to be terribly bittersweet. The nights have been hinting at the winter to come while the days are what my mom-in-law calls "9/11 weather" - the same crisp, warm air and brilliantly blue skies as the day the towers came down. There's nostalgia in the air.

Japanese maple tree outside our house early summer 2012 by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2012

I keep looking at my two little boys and wishing I could freeze time. Will my babies ever be this sweet or trusting or adorable or innocent again? Despite the fact that they drive me completely crazy multiple times a day or that I've been impatiently waiting all summer for school to start so I can finally get some work done, I found myself on the verge of tears while shopping for my older boy's first backpack for Kindergarten and actually broke down and cried while filling out the forms for my younger son to start a part-time nursery school program next week. How on Earth did this happen? I could swear they were just infants...


The silver lining to this shocking awareness of time passing by at lightning speed is that I've been making more of an effort to be present with my kids - to really be awake during this string of precious moments we've been given together. Even when that moment consists of my almost two-year old throwing a potentially messy tantrum while having his poopy diaper changed :)

Lest you think I'm some sort of enlightened being, let me disabuse you of the notion right quick. I'm still spending an awful lot of time dwelling on the past and obsessing about the future as well as diddling my life away on Facebook but it feels like a step in the right direction.

Apparently, Buddha said something to the effect of, "There is only one moment in life when it is essential to awaken. That moment is now." Them's definitely words to live by.


Here's to greeting the fall wide awake to both the beauty and the sadness of life.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

2 comments:

Laurie Kaldor-Bull said...

I just read your recent entry as recommended by your "mom-in-law's" FB status. I don't think you have been wasting time on FB ( I find a huge potential for inner growth and awareness waiting to be discovered there daily.) It sounds to me like you are a wise old owl inside your young mom life. I can totally relate to the nostalgia of time passing, especially in the autumn and most especially as you watch time take leaps with your kids. Time not only passes, it catches up! I am now watching my grandchildren start school with the same bittersweet feelings. But as you are already aware...the moment ...now...is where life is happening and love is found. Keep doing what you're doing because you're doing great! Lauriexo

September 2, 2014 at 6:44 PM
Laurie Kaldor-Bull said...

I just read your recent entry as recommended by your "mom-in-law's" FB status. I don't think you have been wasting time on FB ( I find a huge potential for inner growth and awareness waiting to be discovered there daily.) It sounds to me like you are a wise old owl inside your young mom life. I can totally relate to the nostalgia of time passing, especially in the autumn and most especially as you watch time take leaps with your kids. Time not only passes, it catches up! I am now watching my grandchildren start school with the same bittersweet feelings. But as you are already aware...the moment ...now...is where life is happening and love is found. Keep doing what you're doing because you're doing great! Lauriexo. PS. Now, to check out the recipes!

September 2, 2014 at 6:45 PM

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Monday, September 1, 2014

Being Present

I'm finding these last days of summer to be terribly bittersweet. The nights have been hinting at the winter to come while the days are what my mom-in-law calls "9/11 weather" - the same crisp, warm air and brilliantly blue skies as the day the towers came down. There's nostalgia in the air.

Japanese maple tree outside our house early summer 2012 by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2012

I keep looking at my two little boys and wishing I could freeze time. Will my babies ever be this sweet or trusting or adorable or innocent again? Despite the fact that they drive me completely crazy multiple times a day or that I've been impatiently waiting all summer for school to start so I can finally get some work done, I found myself on the verge of tears while shopping for my older boy's first backpack for Kindergarten and actually broke down and cried while filling out the forms for my younger son to start a part-time nursery school program next week. How on Earth did this happen? I could swear they were just infants...


The silver lining to this shocking awareness of time passing by at lightning speed is that I've been making more of an effort to be present with my kids - to really be awake during this string of precious moments we've been given together. Even when that moment consists of my almost two-year old throwing a potentially messy tantrum while having his poopy diaper changed :)

Lest you think I'm some sort of enlightened being, let me disabuse you of the notion right quick. I'm still spending an awful lot of time dwelling on the past and obsessing about the future as well as diddling my life away on Facebook but it feels like a step in the right direction.

Apparently, Buddha said something to the effect of, "There is only one moment in life when it is essential to awaken. That moment is now." Them's definitely words to live by.


Here's to greeting the fall wide awake to both the beauty and the sadness of life.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.
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2 comments:

Laurie Kaldor-Bull said...

I just read your recent entry as recommended by your "mom-in-law's" FB status. I don't think you have been wasting time on FB ( I find a huge potential for inner growth and awareness waiting to be discovered there daily.) It sounds to me like you are a wise old owl inside your young mom life. I can totally relate to the nostalgia of time passing, especially in the autumn and most especially as you watch time take leaps with your kids. Time not only passes, it catches up! I am now watching my grandchildren start school with the same bittersweet feelings. But as you are already aware...the moment ...now...is where life is happening and love is found. Keep doing what you're doing because you're doing great! Lauriexo

September 2, 2014 at 6:44 PM
Laurie Kaldor-Bull said...

I just read your recent entry as recommended by your "mom-in-law's" FB status. I don't think you have been wasting time on FB ( I find a huge potential for inner growth and awareness waiting to be discovered there daily.) It sounds to me like you are a wise old owl inside your young mom life. I can totally relate to the nostalgia of time passing, especially in the autumn and most especially as you watch time take leaps with your kids. Time not only passes, it catches up! I am now watching my grandchildren start school with the same bittersweet feelings. But as you are already aware...the moment ...now...is where life is happening and love is found. Keep doing what you're doing because you're doing great! Lauriexo. PS. Now, to check out the recipes!

September 2, 2014 at 6:45 PM

Post a Comment