Living In The Moment

Lately I've been savoring every moment and enjoying each day, the hard ones and the easy ones, and appreciating them for what they are. Earlier this week (Wednesday), we had a rough day around here. Paprika did not want to sleep at all, and I found myself spending the whole day trying to get her down for one nap. It was a very hard day and she barely slept. Even so, I really enjoyed that day with her. I enjoy being with her and fully present in tough times, because that is when we grow stronger and closer, and she learns to trust me the most.

Thursday was an especially easy day. She slept to make up for the day before, long luxurious naps without a struggle, and in between naps we jaunted happily about town, meeting up with friends for lunch and shopping. It was what I would call a "perfect" day. But then I got to thinking about what perfect really means, and even though Wednesday was tough, it was just as perfect as Thursday. I've come to realize that each day is a perfect day just because we are together, whether it's a hard day or an easy one.

Learning to be flexible and in the moment helps me when some days are more challenging than others. I've learned not to force a bedtime on Paprika- she lets me know when she's ready for bed, and then it's not a struggle. Just getting in the flow of her life, responding to her when she needs it, and realizing that she operates on her own internal rhthym makes life much more enjoyable and interesting, rather than trying to fight what she needs by scheduling her in a way that's not natural for her. I know that life happens, and that she can't always just take naps when she wants to, but as much as I can be accomodating right now to her needs, the better it is for all of us.

The point of parenting is to enjoy parenting, to really love and relish the process of watching a child grow. Living in the moment and realizing that each day, however seemingly flawed, is perfect, is a truly rewarding and incredible gift.