The other day my cute 18-month-old daughter wanted a taste of my
fudge Popsicle. I smiled and let her have a little bite. She loved it and
couldn’t wait for the next bite. I gave her another bite and instantly she was
begging for another (even though she still had a huge mouthful of Popsicle pushing
out of her chubby cheeks). Rather than enjoying what was in her mouth, her
focus was already on the next bite.😊 Of course it made me laugh, but it also
made me think for a moment. How often do we, as adults, do the same thing—with our
lives? Do we look ahead, without appreciating today? Are we constantly focusing
on the “next bite”? Does the “current bite” seem too bland to notice?
It’s common for us as mothers to have the mindset of “I can’t wait
until…” or “things will be so much better when…” (I’m guilty of using both
those phrases more than I want to admit!). Days (and nights) can be super hard
and super long. It’s easy to yearn for something better without noticing the
good that is already there. Yes, it is wonderful to set goals and be excited
about the future, but in the mean time, we can’t lose sight of the blessings currently
surrounding us, here and now. There are opportunities, blessings, and moments to
experience, this very day, and ours is the opportunity to recognize, taste, and
savor them.
I love this powerful message from Marvin J. Ashton,
“…A notion commonly shared by many [is] that the best of life is just ahead, over the next hill, a few years away, retirement, tomorrow, next month, when I turn 16, or next summer. We become actively engaged in the pastime of conditioning ourselves to believe that happiness and achievement are always somewhere in the future. There is an attitude of tolerating today, even looking past today in anticipation of a better tomorrow.
“To people so inclined, the better future may never come. The
pleasant future belongs to those who properly use today. We need to find the
abundant life as we go along. How can we be happy tomorrow if our “nows” are
filled with self-inflicted unhappinesses and unwise delays? …A constant waiting
for a brighter future may cause us to lose the beautiful today. Some spend so
much time getting ready to live for an unknown future, too late they discover
there is no time to live…
“…How unwise we are to waste our todays when they determine the
significance of our tomorrows. We should wisely live a day at a time because
that is all we have. While our families are available to us we should take time
to develop oneness, unity, and character. Girls of today are the women of
tomorrow. Boys of today are the men of tomorrow. The kind of men and women we
produce for the future depends on how they are taught to use today. How
fortunate a child is to be raised in a home where love, respect, honor,
integrity, and commitment are appropriately displayed each day. Mothers and
fathers, we invite you to enjoy the fruits of improved parent-child
relationships beginning now.”
This quote reminds me that I won’t have my little ones forever. The
giggles, wet kisses, chubby fingers—it will all be gone too quickly. My time with
them is passing. Now is the time for me to teach, love, and cherish them. I
must take full advantage of my opportunity, TODAY, to whole-heartedly mother
Heavenly Father’s precious children. I want to taste and relish the blessings I
have, right now. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know that I
can make the most of today.
One of my favorite quotes from Thomas S. Monson reads,
“This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The
longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities
come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are
to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us
distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to
let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and
nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do.
Instead, find joy in the journey—now.”
A few days ago, I tried to do better at taking full advantage of
what is most important, and I tried to find joy in my day. I took my 4
kids on a bike ride while I walked along side pushing my youngest in a
stroller. I saw that the sky was darkening and it looked like it could rain any
second, so we stayed close to our neighborhood. First, I watched my
three oldest children ride up a steep hill and I felt so proud of them for
pushing themselves all the way to the top. Seeing my kids make the climb as I followed
behind felt so symbolic of my purpose in motherhood. I am here to help each
child reach their full potential as a child of God. I will never give up on
them. Next, we came around a bend to a steep downhill, while the sky continued
to darken. We needed to hurry back, but the hill was too steep for my
3-year-old to ride down. I had all the kids walk their bikes down the steepest
part, and that is when it started to downpour. I told the 3 kids on bikes to
race back home as I ran behind them. Once again, I was reminded of a bigger
picture—I am here to lead, guide, and help my children steer clear of the many
dangers this world brings. I will do my best to teach them to build their
foundation on Jesus Christ, so they can stand strong amidst the storms. We
finally made it back home (soaking wet), and my oldest son ran to his little
brother’s aide to help get him inside. I ran the baby inside, and my 6-year-old
did her best to push the stroller and bikes into the garage. The kids were
running and racing to help each other like it was a huge catastrophe, and I
couldn’t help but laugh and savor the moment. We weren’t in any danger, but in
their eyes, it was a magical adventure. We worked together and made it to
safety—as I hope we always will. This is a memory I’ll never forget, and I’m
grateful for the joy it brought me.
This experience reminds me that motherhood rarely brings the loud,
“up in your face” kind of happiness. It is usually simple and quiet—which means
it takes effort to notice. However, when we do recognize such moments of joy,
we taste something sweet and unmistakable. Although the moment is simple, it
resonates in our hearts, creating a lasting, deep-rooted joy. It’s not
fleeting, and it is why we are willing to sacrifice so much as mothers. The joy
of motherhood is different from superficial, momentary happiness. The joy of
motherhood is real, and the moments are there—waiting to be noticed—but such moments can’t wait forever. Just as Popsicle bites quickly melt away and vanish, so do precious
moments in our motherhood and wifehood. If we don’t savor each bite, we will
miss out on the current blessings and joy life has to offer.
I pray we can do better at recognizing what is most important in
life and finding joy in the journey—now, as President Monson reminded us. Said
Horace, an ancient Roman philosopher, “Whatever hour God has blessed you with,
take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that
in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.” May
we live happily, today, and every day. May we choose to enjoy our Popsicles, one bite at
a time.😋
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