The Best Time of Your Life

“Why are you nervous? There’s nothing to be nervous about,” my dad said to me softly as he caressed my cheek. It was the last day of summer, and I was entering fifth grade. I was dreading going back to school. Tears were forming in my eyes. It was the first year to switch classes during the day, and I was worried about it. “You’re going to be fine. Your teachers will help you, and after a couple days, it will be a piece of cake.” Dad chuckled, looked down, and then continued. “Honey, I know you can’t see it this way now, but this is the best time of you life,” he said to me with a big grin on his face.

Dad was shaking his head while smiling in that way like, “You have no idea kid.…” His bright blue eyes were focused on me, but behind them, you could tell many thoughts were passing by. It was as if all the memories of his own childhood and younger years were sweeping across his mind. I’ll never forget my dad and my mom both telling me that I needed to enjoy “this time” throughout my childhood and early adulthood. Now I get it.

Fast forward twenty-three years. I have a newborn baby, a 4 year old son, a husband who is a very busy entrepreneur, my health coaching practice and writing, and a home to take care of. I’m “adulting” just as hard as anyone else who has a family, a home, and a career. It’s tough. Sometimes, it is downright ugly. Sometimes, I want to eat a giant chocolate cake and crawl under the covers for a long, long sleep. But the truth is, right now…is the best time of my life.

We had to go to Pittsburgh earlier this week, and after my appointment, we went to a pizza place in the Strip District. As we were sitting there eating, the baby was sleeping and my son was enjoying his pizza and watching the large TV behind me. I looked at my husband and locked eyes. Tears started to well up in mine. A thought had been reeling in my mind. I don’t know where it came from (my brain never stops though), but it just happened. “What?” my husband said with his brow furled. God only knows what he was expecting me to say.

“This is as good as it gets. This is the best time of our lives,” I said to him. No sooner did I finish my sentence did he burst out laughing. Yep, he thought that was pretty funny. The baby is in a growth spurt and breastfeeding like a “mother”, our to-do lists are endless, we both feel broken down, and we can’t remember the last time we have been “alone.” He thought I officially lost my mind. I began to plead my case. My explanation was this:

Right now..at this moment…is always the best time of your life, because so often we look back and fondly recall “the good times” or the “easy times.” We say things like “those were the days.” Yes, I’m sleep deprived, my personal hygiene is in question, my body has been through a bit of a storm, and there’s no lack of the smell of poop or diapers in my nose. Don’t even get me started on breastfeeding; it’s been a major challenge. But guess what? These are the days…the best days. My children are little, and they want to be with me. They want to be with my husband, their grandparents, and our family who love them. I know where they are all the time. My son kisses us, hugs us, tells us he loves us, and gets upset if we can’t play Legos. My husband and I are his world. The baby just wants to feel our warm bodies against hers. She wants “Momma’s milk” and our love. So simple, yet so complex at times…but does it get any better? I think not. Someday, both of our kids will be bolting out of this house to do ANYTHING but be with us.

We’re young, the kids are young, and even the pets are young. Our parents (with the exception of my dear father-in-law) are alive and well, and they are a part of our children’s lives.
Life is good.

Just like anyone else who has a new baby, I’ve had to dig deep to stay positive. There are so many challenges in being a parent that it’s easy to let the worries and doubts gobble you up. It’s natural to be longing for the calm in the storm. You know…when you’re feeding a newborn at 3 a.m. and fantasizing about them being older and sleeping.

But just like Dad told me in fifth grade, this is the best time of my life. It’s hard to see now, and it was hard to see then, but every day we have is going to become a memory.

I can use that day to glorify the present, or I can throw it away in my longing for something else.Click To Tweet I won’t make the best decision each day, but maybe if I look at life this way, it will help me to appreciate this moment…this beautiful, messy, crazy, and tender moment.