Seated on the floor surrounded by moving bins, Taylor Swift’s music played in the background (randomly on my daughter’s Spotify) while I rummaged through my three kids’ middle school papers. My twins had just started sixth grade when we moved here and my youngest began fourth. Change is rarely easy and my kids had their share of the usual struggles, along with some pretty great victories.
While shuffling the photos, I realize it’s the song Long Live that Swift is belting out in the background. The song premise is absolutely, positively unrelated to moving out of a family home, but the lyrics are strangely applicable to this mountain of memories in front of me. I turn up the speaker volume and stare at the pictures, certificates, medals, handwriting…hearing words that move me to tears.
I said remember this moment, in the back of my mind – Swift sings this line as the images before me take me back to when they were in grade school, and I honestly told my younger self to remember “this” (whatever it was at the time), knowing for sure I would miss.it.all. That light-hearted laughter, sweet hugs… I knew I’d yearn someday for the simple things included in an active family life, like late-evening runs for project supplies and Friday night movies.
You held your head like a hero – I hear this next line (no kidding) just as I pull out hockey, lacrosse and field hockey tournament programs, where the losses were heavy and lessons were learned while watching the other teams raise the trophy.
I said remember this feeling – How many times I would remind them during the happier school experiences to feel the moment. “Burn this in your brain…in your heart”… I’d encourage – especially during those much-needed good days while navigating the often-miserable grade school hallways.
Hold on to spinning around – oh, how my youngest loved spinning around…even still in high school. If she was in a pretty dress, she was twirling. Sniff.
Fighting dragons with you– Fortunately, there weren’t many, but we fought some dragons together. Monsters, dragons, whatever fiend-word you like, mess with my kids and my mama-wings rose high. When faced with the few really unreasonable people over two decades, I rose up like Queen Narissa in the movie, Enchanted. Ironically, her (my) outrage turns her (me) into a dragon!
When they gave us our trophies and we held them up for our town – the major victories…so rare in life where you win every single competitive game and enjoy being true champions.
I hope they shine – What parent doesn’t?
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines wishing for right now – And here we are years later, with grade school, high school and university in the rear view. Right now, I think back to being a parent on the sidelines…courts, fields, rinks, first loves…school hallways, church events. Rooting for our children’s every tiny accomplishment, praying them through the exams, disappointments, driver’s tests…back then – wishing for right now – that it really would be ok when we told them it would be. That their lives would end up beautiful, as they have.
I had the time of my life, with you.
Thank you for reading and I wish you a really good week ahead…
Featured image: https://quotefancy.com/quote/1533630/N-K-Jemisin-There-is-no-greater-warrior-than-a-mother-protecting-her-child
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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