What’s your 15 year flashback?


By Elisabeth K. Corcoran
Author of He Is Just That Into You

I went for a walk with one of my best friends last week. The neighborhood she currently lives in is my old neighborhood. We were walking along very familiar sidewalks. At one point, mid-conversation, I started to cry. I realized that fifteen years ago, I had walked those exact sidewalks with my daughter in a stroller. I could picture what she looked like, what I looked like. I could feel the stroller handle in my hands. I could see myself bending down to pick up a sippy cup she had tossed out, to pick up dolly. I could hear myself talking to her in baby talk, pointing out the leaves and the houses and the cars going by. I also realized that fifteen years ago I had found out I was pregnant with my son.

Fifteen years ago.

Do you remember fifteen years ago? Where were you in life? What were you doing? Who were you with? What did you love?

You can picture it, right? Fifteen years can feel like just moments ago. Because, basically, it was. Fifteen years ago my babies were babies…and now, fifteen years later, my babies are both taller than me…and will be moving out in what feels like weeks.

And in fifteen years? In fifteen years my daughter will be thirty. I will have a thirty-year-old daughter. Which will make me…well, not thirty.

Okay, what’s my point?

My point is this…it goes by so very fast. Like, it’ll take your breath away kind of fast. Really. I know people tell you this. But really.

So this month, as we’re in the middle of fall, I’ve only got two pieces of advice for you, sweet ones.

Don’t overbook. Give yourself actual stay-at-home days to actually stay…at…home. Don’t rush ahead. Don’t overschedule. Just live. Just rest. Just be. Just breathe. Just love those little ones.

Soak it all in. Even the hard stuff. Journal. Burn memories into your brain. Ask God to help you remember, to help you enjoy it, to help you be more grateful.

It’ll go by like that. It’s going to, there’s no stopping it. But you can linger. You can remember. You can enjoy. You can be grateful. You can love.


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