I am in my thirties, dare I say mid-thirties, and had kids pretty young after marriage. When I had my second child, I was just about to turn 30. That was supposed to be a milestone birthday. An all-out, elaborate celebration of no longer being in my 20’s. I had always envisioned doing it big—getting the girls together, traveling somewhere we’ve never been and spending way too much money on a hotel room.
Instead, I spent the night at the hospital, giving birth to my son. And I had to forget about my dream 30th birthday trip.
Life has a way of throwing you little curve balls and keeping you on your toes. Looking back, I have to admit that I had a bit of a “grass is greener” mentality as I watched all of the carefree travels and affairs that my single girlfriends got to experience during that time while I was raising my daughter of 2 1/2 years and about to welcome another child. There were a few times that I day dreamt about what it would be like to join the girls traveling the world on that amazing trip to Peru or backpacking through Europe, and I couldn’t see clearly what I had right in front of me. Total definition of FOMO.
But now, more than ever, I’ve realized that I am living my life to the fullest in another way, and I am not missing out at all. I get to experience something that not everyone in this world gets to. Something so thrilling and invigorating then anything I could have ever experienced on a vacation.
It’s called motherhood.
Yes, it is hard. Incredibly hard sometimes. But every day there’s something new to encounter. Every moment a new adventure to face. Nothing keeps me feeling more young and alive than being a mom. From the moment I realized there was someone growing inside me to the moment she took her first step, or he tried hot sauce for the first time. To hearing their infectious laughs when they tell me a joke they think is hilarious. And seeing them grow into self-sufficient children with a hunger to learn new things. I never knew life could be so exciting.
And the challenge of motherhood is rewarding. A challenge that has already changed me as a person for the better. It has forced me to look at my own life and see it through my children’s eyes. Am I a good person? Am I kind? Am I smart? Will I be able to teach and protect them from harm and guide them to be good people when they grow up? Every day I make better choices because I know my children are watching. It’s a challenge that I am so thankful for.
I may have missed out on time to travel with my husband, friends and even solo, before having kids. But over the passed 7 years of being a mother I’ve experienced and learned so much. And as these years have passed and we’ve been advancing in our careers and growing out of some of the expenses of childcare (diapers and daycare are expensive!) taking trips I once considered extravagant and nonsensical are becoming possible. And what makes that even more exciting, is that I will get to travel to new places with my children and share those special moments with young and curious minds as we explore new places for the very first time together.
And in the meantime, I get to go on an amazing adventure every single day. The adventure of motherhood.
Beautifully said!