Mum-of-four Rebecca Cooper is vowing to make the most of her summers from here on out.
She’s not going to refuse to play in the pool, she’s not going to say no to the park or the swimming pool, and she’s certainly not going to say no to that spontaneous trip the kids so desperately want.
And why is she being so ‘lenient’ this summer? Because Rebecca has been reminded about how quickly the years fly by.
In a post on Simple As That, the mum explains:
“I remember our first summer together. It was just you, me, and that brilliant pink swimsuit of yours. Your thighs were the chubbiest.”
“And that wide smile that went on for days; that was my favourite.”
However, time flies by, we sometimes forget to take a moment to see what’s in front of us and Rebecca reminds us the summers have become quite different.
“You have siblings, friends, and interests of your own now. Life is busier, and I worry more about how we’ll spend our days.”
“Because before long, you’ll be walking down the aisle with your graduating class. Cap and gown, and that wide smile of yours.”
“I’ll sit in my seat as I choke up a bit, and a few tears will roll down my cheeks. Tears for the good times? Or tears of regret?”
Our summers escape our grasp as quick as they come; planning a trip away, getting ready for the next school year, organising camps and play dates.
Rebecca realises this, coming to the conclusion she doesn’t want to have any regrets that she didn’t spend enough time cherishing her summers, and she knows what to do.
“I must make every single summer count. All eighteen of them, because it’s not a lot.”
The Canadian promises to ‘uncover something new’ such as making messy crafts or taking a hike, things she perhaps overlooks sometimes.
Vowing to ‘take the trip’ as her children will only be young for a while, and there’s so much for them to see.
Rebecca pledges to become ‘fully submerged’ in her children’s lives, jumping in the pool and becoming the focus of those photographs.
And most importantly, the mum-of-four shall enjoy the ‘ordinary moments’: “I’ll make big plans for us, but I’ll also enjoy the slow and simple moments too.”
“The kind of summer days where we stay in our pyjamas until noon, make pancakes for lunch, and don’t do much at all.”
"For soon you’ll be gone. You’ll set off on your own, and we’ll have used up all eighteen of our summers. We’ll have nothing left but the memories."
Such a wonderful reminder that sometimes we need to slow down, take a look at our growing brood and pledge to make the most of our time.
We are heading straight home to find the nearest beach, just to lounge around together and have all the fun.
