It’s Okay To Not Cherish EVERY Moment

The phrase “Cherish Every Moment” is just too much if you ask me. It’s one of those statements that is over-marketed and honestly can make you feel like you’re not living life to the fullest if you’re not in the right headspace to “cherish” the moment you are in. Don’t expect me to be hanging any signs in my home with this sentiment plastered on it. I believe in my heart that it’s completely acceptable to disregard and even forget some moments in life if it helps you in the long run. We have the gift of compartmentalization in my brain for a reason. Some things are best pushed to the back corners and left there.

As an example, if I was given the opportunity to go back to high school I’d give that a big “nope”. I mean there were definitely some fun and memorable moments but overall I did not love school and wasn’t sad to leave it behind. I can also reflect on being a young child that struggled with communication for the first several years of school. I learned it was called selective mutism as I was extremely unlikely to speak to anyone besides my mom and my closest friend. I would not say that I cherish those times in the least. I am so grateful my children don’t go through the extreme communication struggles I did, but when I saw them hesitate to talk to a stranger in my presence I pushed them to speak for themselves. It wasn’t easy for them but they overcame the fear of ordering food, requesting help or whatever the need was.

As a parent of a high school Senior I am not begging for this time in his life to slow down. I know he has felt some of the same things I did during high school and I am just as ready for him to graduate with that diploma as he is. I do love the school he’s been at for the last ten years and will miss some parts of it, but I am fully aware he’s ready for the next step in his future and I am not going to wallow in my emotions that this phase is passing too fast. In eight weeks he’s going to walk out of those classroom doors for the last time and I’ll celebrate with such relief that we made it!

What times in your life would you rather forget? Take time to write about why those moments were hard and then let them go. It’s so healing to put your thoughts down on paper and close the pages. Not everything in life is sunshine and rainbows and that’s ok. Cherish the moments that make you happy in this life and do all you can to experience more of those.