No longer forward nor behind
I look in hope or fear;
But, grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
-John Greenleaf Whittier
I sometimes find poetry hard to understand. But this piece from Whittier, which reminds us to appreciate the moment, had an effect on me as a parent. Some of the best days I had as a mom with my young children were when I let everything go – the cooking, the cleaning, the rushing around, and plopped down on the floor with the kids and played, talked, sang, told stories and just flat-out enjoyed them without teaching or discipline.
As Thanksgiving approaches, and we look for ways to be grateful, if possible, try to make time for the very people who most deserve it. You’ll never regret it.
By Claire Gawanowicz
Certified Parenting Educator
