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The alarm goes off at 5 a.m. sharp. My busy day is about to begin. Shower, breakfast, meditation, and then I dart out the door to embark on an 18-hour day filled with an unpredictable morning commute, lesson plans, and deadlines to meet. And that’s just the first eight to 10 hours of the day. Then suddenly I look up, the sun begins to set, and yet another productive day of work has come and gone.
Once upon a time this was my daily routine. This was my so-called life. Everything was about work and making my mark in the world as a single, successful woman. While I saw nothing wrong with my life at the time, I felt that something was missing. But I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
It was my period. One day I had my routine doctor’s visit and found out that I was going to be a mother. Life as I knew it would change forever.
Giving birth to my son was a humbling experience, and watching him grow throughout the years has been heartwarming and one unpredictable adventure after the next. Seeing him take his first steps, listening to him mumble his first word, which was “Da-da” by the way, brought about feelings in me I had never felt. And then it hit me. I discovered what was really missing from my life. It wasn’t necessarily motherhood or the things that it brings. It was something much deeper that I often overlooked.
As I’ve watched my son develop I realize that he’s taught me how to appreciate the little things in life, which have turned out not to be so little after all. Have you ever been to a spontaneous concert? I have. It’s a private concert that has one or two singers who only know the chorus to a particular song and sing the lyrics as loud as they possibly can as if no one is listening. My child and I have these random jam sessions now and then just because. I can say that I have yet to go to a musical performance that’s better than the ones I have with my baby. Before I had my son, I would never do anything like this, not even in the car alone because I didn’t want to feel or look silly. But now I realize that there’s no harm in being a little silly from time to time. In fact, it’s quite healthy and freeing.
I also have come to appreciate a welcoming smile after a long day at work. Who wouldn’t appreciate this? Every day when I walk through the door my child runs to me with open arms, a huge grin on his face and yells out my new favorite words: “Hey mommy! I missed you today!” In an instant, my day starts anew. Before he came along, no one greeted me with a genuine smile. I missed the importance of a warm grin. I believe if he weren’t here I wouldn’t understand and appreciate how this small gesture can make a good day great and a bad one much better.
Being a parent has taught me so much about living life to its fullest by taking the time to treasure priceless moments and things that can easily pass you by and be overlooked. My son’s carefree attitude has helped me to live in a new way that has been refreshing to my spirit. I’m grateful for the privilege of caring for one of the most precious gifts anyone can have, but I’m even more thankful for how my child has taught me to live. People always say that big things come in small packages. I must agree because I’ve learned that the small things in life bring about the greatest lessons and the most joy.
Take some time each day to stop and smell the roses before you’re covered in them. Laugh as if you’re the only one who understands a joke being told. Smile at someone at least once a day and stare at the beauty of a flower just because you can. Look at each day as the gift that it is.
Liz Lampkin is the Author of Are You a Reflection of the Man You Pray For? a speaker and an advocate for single women. Follow her on Twitter @Liz_Lampkin.
