My kid is healthy. Are there 4 more important words in the world? It is easy to forget what things could be like when you have a healthy child. You find other things to worry about like bills and what you are going to cook for dinner. In my life, I have watched a 16-month-old baby boy’s casket be lowered into the ground. I’ve watched little bodies lose fights against cancer. I’ve read stories about brain tumors, down syndrome, and a countless other health problems I CAN NOT IMAGINE my child going through. A handful of my high school class mates have lost their babies anywhere from 1 month old to a year old. I remind myself everyday to be thankful for the health of my little girl because that is all that is important in this world. My student loan can wait. Dinner can wait. These precious moments with my girl can’t. I remind myself of this as I climb into my baby’s crib at 3am because she wants to play and explore instead of sleep.
I came across a quote today “ I hope my children look back on today And remember a mother who had time for play. There will be years for cleaning and cooking ‘Cause children grow up when we’re not looking.“
So many times I go over in my head how I wished I spent more time with my Brother when he was alive. I wish we had made so many more memories than I have of him. It is important to me that I make memories — real, true memories — with those that matter the most. I know that years from now Tanami isn’t going to remember how I would build a fort for her in the living room on rainy days. She isn’t going to recall the time I looked at her tear stained face and decided to leave the dishes in the sink and take her to play on the swings instead. She won’t, but I will. My child is healthy…today. That doesn’t mean she is going to wake up tomorrow in the same condition. It’s easy to think that bad things can’t happen to you or your family. But bad things seem to follow us around like a dark cloud over my family…and for once I want to be one step ahead.
I never want to be that parent that puts their work before their family. If the words “There isn’t time” fall out of my mouth in response to a request from my girl I hope they are used so sparingly. I hope that I always remember that the time I spend with my family is worth more than any paid bill, happy client, or clean house any day of the week. Today, my family is healthy, and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.
