Just for today I will let my children climb into bed and I will watch the sunrise as I kiss their foreheads telling them how much I love them. Even if it means breakfast crumbs in the car. Even if it means resisting the urge to turn into a drill sergeant telling them to hurry up. Crumbs and a mad dash out the door are a small price to pay for a few moments spent with my babies nestled in my arms.
Just for today I’ll wear the stretchy sateen pants I have. Because they feel good and comfortable and I won’t worry about the fact that I wore them yesterday.
Just for today I’ll wear mascara and maybe a little lip gloss and I’ll wear my favorite sweater — my good sweater. Or maybe I’ll wear a dress because my husband loves when I show a little leg. I will relish in the fact that I have a little more pep in my step a confidence that graces my face when I take the time to groom myself rather than just my children.
Just for today I will step back just enough to give my children a little more room to spread their wings. I will trust them so that they might learn to trust themselves.
Just for today I will resist the urge to complain about what’s going wrong and focus on what is going right.
Just for today I will call my great aunt or my grandmother or someone I haven’t spoken to in a long time, someone I’ve been meaning to call for an entire year just to say hi and tell her how much the children have grown. And when she tells me a story I will listen.
Just for today I will refrain from pulling into the Starbucks drive through, running into Target, or browsing the sale section at Anthropologie. Then I’m going to transfer the money I saved into savings. And when faced with the option to take the elevator or the stairs I will choose the stairs all in the name of exercise.
Just for today I won’t complain about my appearance, and remember that the way I see myself impacts the way my children will see themselves. When my husband tells me I am beautiful, I will say thank you.
Just for today I will call my husband just to say hi. Not because I need something or want something. Just because. And I will text my best friend and tell her thank you. For being a friend, of course.
Just for today I will hang up my clothes rather than sit them on the dresser. I will let my kids eat dessert first and I may even forgo a home-cooked meal for takeout even if I did that yesterday all in the name of play.
Or maybe I will attempt to cook something I haven’t made before. Either way, we’ll have dessert first.
I’ll let the littlest one skip out on a bath because she’s going to get dirty tomorrow anyway and the sooner they go to bed the sooner I can stay up and watch Netflix with my husband. Tonight I’ll let him pick the show. We’ve been watching Parenthood for weeks. He’s been such a good sport.
I will let our dog sleep by our bed despite the doctor’s recommendations because she’s happiest when she’s by our side. I’ll tip-toe downstairs and pack tomorrow’s lunches. Tip-toe back upstairs and take out everyone’s outfits for the next day.
I’ll stay up late resting in my husband’s arms knowing that I will curse myself when the alarm goes off.
It’s OK.
Just for today I will set out with the intention of giving life all that I have to give. I will strive to be the best wife, mother — human being I can be. I will look at my to do list realizing that the things that I did today – the things that didn’t make the list are far more important than the things I set out to check off. And that will be enough for me.
As mothers we often try to take on so much. “My family is going to eat clean from now on – I’m only buying organic. I’m going to start ironing and making lunches the night before every night. I will start reading that book I bought tomorrow, oh and while I’m at it maybe I’ll join a book club.”
Sometimes, sometimes, we look so far into the future and we try so hard to plan that we feel hopeless, and tired and defeated before we’ve even taken our first step.
We want to eat better.
We want to become classroom volunteers.
We want to finish the book that’s been sitting on our nightstand for months.
We want to give our children the perfect childhood.
But what if we simply focused on eating healthy today?
What if we just volunteered today?
What if we read just one page today?
What if we brought a little magic to today?
“One day at a time – this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.”
Give the very best you have to give today. And, when tomorrow comes, wake up and give again. And remember that it’s enough.