Monday, 23 December 2013

Keeping time

The other night, climbing into our cold car, I huffed and watched the mist trail of breath. ‘I’m a dragon!’ I called to the kids in the back seat. ‘Look!’

‘Mom,’ chided the eldest. ‘That was funny when we were five. Not now.’

‘Teens,’ I groused to husband.

‘Hey, I’m not a teen!’ said the youngest, who is at the tail end of ten. ‘I’m still a kid. Treasure me! Treasure me!’

We all laughed.

But my heart is breaking a little, too. In raising children, as I remind myself when I feel impatient with mine, the days are long but the years are short.

To be truthful, I usually remember that aphorism just after I've been impatient with them.

Sigh. I do treasure them, tot and teen-- beyond all measure.

No comments:

Post a Comment