The Best Times of Your Life

Many years ago when my children were young, several people said to me, “These are the best times of your life.”  I thought, “What’s wrong with you people?  I never have any freedom, I am completely tied down and I meet myself coming around the corner running the car pools and various errands.  The focal point for decorating the family room is either a play pen, Barbie’s house or Fisher Price’s family.”  I really thought these people must be nuts.

I even did an independent survey and began asking the older folks that I knew, “What was the best time of your life?”  Overwhelmingly, the answer was, “when my children were young.”

I didn’t understand.  This couldn’t be.

There was constantly a battle with my older daughter over the unsanitary conditions in her room.  I feared that the Health Department would barge in any day, find unidentifiable bacteria growing there and condemn the whole place.  My husband threatened to set off a bomb in there and blow it away from the rest of the house.

 My younger daughter’s imagination was so creative that there was constantly a stage show performance or TV series under production in our family room.  The bickering, as sisters will do, seemed non-stop.  These couldn’t possibly be the best times of my life.

One day reality hit.  While walking through their rooms, I recall my voice yelling for them to “grow up.” The silence echoed back, “WE DID.”  They were gone.  The quiet of the house was deafening and nothing was ever the same.

I’m a big girl.  I can admit my mistakes.  I was wrong.  Our children are a precious gift from Heaven.  The joy they bring is indescribable.  For those of you who are still there.  Trust Me.. These truly are the best times of your life.