Motherhood IV: Hurry Up!
May 28, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Parenting
Yesterday, my son and I were walking home from the park. It was a beautiful morning–no more than 80 degrees–with a clear blue sky and a light breeze. I had nothing life-threatening to get to when I got home. . .nothing more than laundry, a little bit of house cleaning, and a lunch to throw in the oven for the two of us. I was having such a special time with a precious boy, and yet I still used the words “Hurry up” when he paused to lean down and study the broken, uneven sidewalk.
I hate those words. I cringe every time I say them because I know that the cliche is true: “These years pass so quickly, and then your children are grown.” So, why do we say them? If I look at the times when I have said “Hurry up,” it is usually when my son is exploring the world and taking it in, and why do I want him to hurry through that? For myself, I’ve been shown that this is purely my selfish desires and personal agenda rearing it’s ugly head through what could (and should) be a beautiful moment to remember and cherish.
Now, I know how kids can dally. They can take an hour to do something that takes us adults 5 minutes. They are not the most skilled at time management, nor are they the most productive. Life, for them, is certainly not about a checklist of things to be completed. But you know what I’ve realized?
They are happier than 99% of the adults out there.
Maybe they are on to something.
Maybe life isn’t about rushing about and hurrying through. Maybe it isn’t about productivity and finding more time and checklists. Maybe it’s about love, joy, peace, and the Author of all of those: God. Maybe it’s about slowing down and studying the shape of the sidewalk or the way a roly-poly rolls. Maybe if I wasn’t often looking for ways to “Hurry up,” then when I heard my son asking, “What does God do in heaven?”, I would be able to answer him more thoroughly (and have the potential for a life-changing conversation with him). After all, aren’t those the sort of things that life is all about?
My challenge to myself is to allow God to shut my mouth and quiet my mind when I’m tempted to say, “Hurry up.” I have a feeling that my Heavenly Father, the One who loves me and wants me to see all the beautiful and wonderful things He has in store for me and my family, is just trying to get me to slow down enough to see them. When it comes right down to it, I can think of very little involving my son that I actually want to hurry through.
