It Won’t Last Forever
I’m part of a neighborhood book club, and the last book we read was about motherhood. I happen to be the youngest one in the club, and I asked the other ladies—who are 10 to 20 years older than me—what advice they would give me at my stage of motherhood. The first one who answered said, “Remember that it won’t last forever.”
I nodded in agreement and breathed out a sigh of relief.
The dirty diapers, the sleepless nights, the lack of personal space—it won’t last forever.
The not being able to use the restroom without prying eyes or little fingers poking under the door. The beloved bedtime book you read for the hundredth time. The incessant “Mom, watch this!” while you’re trying to cook dinner. The cleaning up of countless toys and scrubbing grimy hands. The never-ending chauffeuring to activities. The daily homework battle. The constant demand for your attention.
It won’t last forever.
Thank goodness.
But then … the woman kept talking.
And she said, “Enjoy it while you can.”
All the others nodded in agreement. And to my surprise, they started reminiscing on their early days of motherhood, some with tears in their eyes.
The gentle cuddles when your kids still fit in your lap. The bedtime stories when they still want you to read to them.
The random family dance parties you join when you should be making dinner. The laughs and wonder you share as you watch them explore the world.
The being together. The learning together.
The feeling of being needed.
It won’t last forever.
And that was EXACTLY what I needed to hear.
As the well-known phrase goes, “This too shall pass”—not just the rough moments of parenthood but also the precious, tender moments. The ones that fill your heart and warm your soul. The ones that make every sacrifice worth it.
Because with every new inch marked and dated on the door frame, those moments slip away.
And before you know it, some young, overwhelmed mother will be asking your advice.
And you’ll reply with tears in your eyes …
“Remember that it won’t last forever.”
