As I prepare to celebrate my birthday this weekend (28 for those of you who might be wondering) I find myself thinking more about past birthdays… and remembering all those Good Old Days from when I was a kid, when I was in college, and when Dave and I were first married.
I know, I’m too young to think about that… right?
Well, believe it or not, I’ve actually been thinking about the Good Old Days for a long time.
I can vividly remember being stressed out in 4th grade because I had a really big test to study for. I recall thinking about the Good Old Days before I was in school and how much simpler things were before I had to study.
I can also remember my very first week of college, and although I was really excited, I couldn’t help but wish for the Good Old Days of high school. I was a big senior, I had my group of friends, so many familiar faces, and not nearly as much work!
More recently, after Nora was born and we realized how much work parenting actually is, Dave and I frequently joked about the Good Old Days when we were first married and could do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted to.
I think that no matter how old we are, we tend to look back on the past as the Good Old Days, remembering things as better and simpler “back then”.
So if you think about it, this means that in 1, 2, 5, or 10 years, we’ll be looking back on today, this week, and this year, and remembering these moments as the Good Old Days.
Dave and I will look back and say, “remember how simple life was when Nora was little”, “remember how fun it was working on all those house projects”, “remember when ____________”… those were the Good Old Days”
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Right now, we are living and experiencing tomorrow’s Good Old Days.
Did you catch that?
The mundane moments of today will someday be remembered as the Good Old Days of the past.
This is a really good reminder for me, because I’m the type of person who’s always looking towards the future —
What should I do now?
What’s the next item on my to-do list?
What goals should I be working towards?
It’s SO easy to get sucked into the illusion that the best is still out there, waiting for use to find it… when in reality, the “best” could be right now, simply waiting for us to enjoy it!
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Last week, I shared our attempts to slow down summer — to find that healthy balance between “getting stuff done” and just “relaxing and enjoying the present”.
This sounds like a good plan doesn’t it — but let me tell you, it’s really hard!
We have so much we want to do, it’s hard to just sit back, relax, and relish in the present moments — the moments that we will someday refer to as the Good Old Days.
So while I DON’T think we should necessarily stop pushing forward, setting goals, making to-do lists, and planning ahead; I do think it’s important for all of us to realize and remember that the moments of today, right now, are equally as important as whatever we’re planning for tomorrow.
Enjoy today my friends.
Payson says
I just re-read this post, and it made me smile! You are so right. Even though I am only 12, I do find myself thinking back to “The Good Old Days”. Thanks for the reminder!
Lisa says
As I am about to finish my last class and graduate and about to turn 40 (I graduate next Saturday) and then turn 40 on July 2nd… I am VERY glad that you posted this and I got to read it because I am the type of person to constantly find things that need to be done and now that I am going to be done with school – I need to remember to slow down and sit back a little and enjoy these good ole days with my 10 year old and 2 year old girls.
So although I have started my “to do” list of things I want to get done – I am going to also make sure I slow down some and enjoy the time with my hubby and my girls.
thank you for the reminder!!
Deb says
Soooo true. My oldest is getting married in a week. The days are long, but the years are short. Live in the here and now, not in the when they get older, I will…..stage. I honestly cannot believe that 20 years have passed, we are super excited about the future and LOVE his bride, but there is just a momentary sadness that this time is over already. I so clearly realize now what is was like for my parents, it wasn’t that they didn’t trust me, or love my soon to be husband or anything like that, it was just hard to accept the reality that your baby is all grown up,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Priyanka says
I think thinking about good old days is in the air. Just the other evening, my husband and I were talking about the good old day when we could just impulsivley do things, like go out for a drive or walk. Now things work around Neil’s schedule. But down the line we’ll find these times simpler.
Oh, and a very Happy Birthday to you!
Jeanine says
Thanks for this great reminder! You are so right! I had to laugh when you said that you and Dave sometimes look back to your pre-parenting days, and think that those were the good old days, because I don’t think that you’ve ever had a time when you had little to do! I admit though that after becoming a parent, I wondered what I used to do with all my extra time:). Still, my four children range in age from 12 to 29, and I would love to have a single day back with any one of them at Nora’s age. Of course, I would plan not to do a single other thing on that day, which of course, never happened when they were actually that young!
Andrea says
Amen! If I could go back to Nora’s newborn days, I would have just sat their and held her. I was so worried about her becoming too clingy if I held her too much — it would have prevented so many tears if I just put her in a sling and held her all day 🙂 Live and learn I suppose!
Debby says
Andrea,
Never ever worry about what you are “supposed” to do with Nora. My very best friend whom I love like a sister, took her kids binkies away at 14 months because she read that was the age that you were supposed to take them away(?????) Her kids cried so hard for a week. My youngest only had hers in the car or bed after she could speak. When she was 2 1/2 she said she wanted to throw it away and she did. That night she wanted it for bed, I said oh we threw it away remember. She said “oh yeah” and went to bed. End of story and I actually remember that day so vividly and how cute she was. Much better memory than her screaming and crying because I decided it was what I supposed to do. Same thing with potty training. My mantra became, no one goes to kindegarden doing______. You can fill in the blank. Another great post. love it
Mama Murrey says
And if you need more time than that, my mom says, “Nobody walks down the aisle still wetting their pants.”
Jennifer says
Oh, yes. We, or at least I can shoulda, coulda, woulda myself to death about my sons first year. My answer–remember it all for the next one! 🙂
Lori says
Thanks for the reminder. Happy Birthday and God’s blessings on you and your family!
Jen says
Happy birthday. The finale of “The Office” had a similar line in it – something like “I wish we could know we were in the good old days while they are happening.” That has stuck with me.
Andrea says
Thanks Jen– I watched that season finally and must have missed that line! It’s funny that we’re learning life lessons from The Office 🙂
Roxanne says
This is so true! I’m such a forward-thinker like you… sometimes I have to literally tell myself to slow down and take in the moment (more so especially since I had my first baby a couple of months ago- people aren’t kidding when they say the time flies by!)
My parents get their portrait taken at every milestone birthday so that whenever the next major birthday comes along they can look back at their picture and talk about how “young” they were 🙂
Diane says
That is one adorable picture of your daughter!
Maria says
Thanks for the reminder, Andrea; as someone already mentioned, you are definitely wise beyond your years. Beautiful picture of Nora! Looks like you’ll have many happy memories to reflect upon.
Some days we run on auto pilot and zip through the day without really appreciating the many blessings we already have, and before you know it, years have gone by and you long for the “Good Old Days”, even though the days were hectic and as you mentioned, sometimes mundane. However, if you have time to step back and reflect, it is good to examine your priorities and remember that:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present.”
(I read this somewhere, but I’m not sure who the author is). Have a very Happy Birthday!
Ann says
We fail to realize the BLESSINGS of today, don’t we? One time I read that a mother with a child in the hospital just longed for a normal evening of the family all together at the supper table. Just a longing for …life to be normal again! Let us cherish our family & the present each day!
JoAnn C. says
There is something about some of your posts where a song will pop into my head. When I read the title of today’s post I thought Carly Simon, …these are the good old days…” But as I read further I began to think of Jimmy Buffet’s song called Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes. In it are some of my favorite lyrics, (I will paraphrased here), “…yesterdays are over my shoulder, so I can’t look back for too long there’s just too much to see waiting in front of me and I know that I just can’t go wrong…” I always took that to mean: learn from the past, live in the moment, and look forward to tomorrow with an open heart and mind.
A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you Andrea, and many happy returns.
JoAnn
Charmaine says
Thanks for the reminder, it has helpful and meaningful.
Dena says
I always marvel at how wise you are for being so young. (I’m 58). You are doing a great job with your blog and Nora.
Katie @ I Stay Home For This says
So very true!! My grandma gave me this same advice when my daughter was a baby and it really stuck with me. My grandma told me to try and enjoy it even when it’s hard because, one day, when I am old like her (her words, not mine) that these would be the days that I sit around and reminisce about.