I live about 12 hours away from both sets of Grandparents. Once you have children, it is so difficult to be away from family. I seem to be a little old fashioned when it comes to family and maybe even a little idealistic. My mother-in-law and I were talking about how families used to stay in one place and have family businesses. Everyone in the family pitched in to help on every project and helped raise the children. I also realize that not all family situations are healthy and in those situations their needs to be some distance. However, I believe my generation is missing out on the valuable life experiences that parents provide for their children and grandchildren. Many women are like me, they are "road widows". Husbands travel for a living, and we are left to handle the home and children. Life can be very lonely and difficult when you are isolated from the people that love you most. So..... I settle for the" beautiful moments." I learn so much from cooking along side our mothers, and if Marty and I could only know how to fix everything like our fathers, it would be amazing. I often tell my mother, I pray I am half the mother she was and I will have done well.
Life is so busy and we get very consumed by our immediate situations. I forget that I am building beautiful moments, when I cook a meal for my family and the boys want to help, or they sneak a bite before everyone sits down to eat. Time is moving quickly. Soon, I may have to drive to see their children. But today, in the middle of doing laundry, cooking, diapers, running errands and everything else that needs to be done, I will try to enjoy a "beautiful moment." I don't want to miss any, like I often do.
Can you find a few of them in your life?
I can very much relate to what you are saying. Very well put!
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