What exactly are "the good old days?"
Ok, so the truth of the matter is it is my 35th birthday, not my 25th. SHOCKING, I know. Despite being in an incredibly blessed place in my life, for whatever the reason, I am not embracing my aging all that well. Maybe because I feel still so young at heart?
Recently Macklemore (featuring Kesha) came out with this song called "The Good Old' Days" and I am OBSESSED. This song speaks to me in so many ways. The other night I went out to dinner with a few of my close girlfriends and my best friend Nicole was sitting beside me. I said to her "remember the days when you were living down in Florida"; we woke up in the morning and were like, "ok do we want to get our nails done today? Go to the beach? Have sushi or Mexican for dinner tonight?" Remember when we got tired we could just come home, eat and take a nap?!! Ahhhhhhh. At that time, we really had NO clue how carefree and amazing our lives truly were.
From the time I was a little girl I was always focused on being older and "the next step". I couldn't wait to be a teenager, couldn't wait to turn 16 and get my license, turn 18 so I could uhhh...get my belly button pierced without parental consent (it was the Britney Spears era people, don't judge). Finally, 21. Twenty flipping one. If time could have just frozen in those early 20's for a little bit longer that would have been amazing. But creeping into my mid 20's and meeting Trevor, boom that was it, I couldn't wait to get married and have kids. All of it was wonderful. I don't regret any decision I made, I just wish that in the midst of it all I was able to reflect on it, savor it, and appreciate it a little bit more.
When I talk to all of these 20 something year olds that I encounter, I try to impress this message upon them. THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE, DON'T RUSH THIS, DON'T FOCUS ON WHAT'S NEXT. I am SO damn jealous of all of your reckless nights!! I mean don't get me wrong I have reckless nights too only mine involve a reckless 2 year old girl who creeps down the stairs butt naked in protest of bedtime, followed by her "baby" falling out of her bed eliciting a complete meltdown, then by 3am she's wide awake and wants her dad to chill with her, by 4:30 am she's awake for the day, as am I, so yeah reckless is certainly how I would describe my nights too.
Ok so clearly I miss my 20's and I reminisce about them often. This does not mean I don't love the life I am living now, but again, I find myself not fully embracing this season of my life and realizing, hey guess what these are the good old days too!! My father in law always tells Trevor and I that he and my mother-in-law loved their 30's the best, when the kids were all little. He says it doesn't get any better than it is right now.
So maybe it is the exhaustion, chaos and disorder that goes along with raising little ones, but I am going to try not to repeat my mistakes of the past and take my father-in-law's advice by savoring these moments. So if you have not heard this song yet, give it a listen, think about it and embrace everyday because tomorrow is not a guarantee.
xo,
Nicole
