Day 11: The Constant of Change.

One of the most useful lessons I took away from birth class was an exercise where we were asked to draw a labyrinth, and then slowly trace our finger through it, imagining how each turn is like a new developmental step in our child’s life. Just when you felt like you were picking up momentum around a gentle curve, we were forced to slow down and reevaluate in order to make the U-turn.

One of the key principles of mindfulness practice is understanding that, "The only thing that is constant in life is change." - Heraclitus The more we can understand and accept that, the more easily we can weather the transitions that come with that constant change. I have found there has been no time when this feels more true than right now during my baby's rapid development. After nearly two weeks of putting my little angel of a baby to sleep while we ate dinner, tonight she decided to fill the airwaves with her shrieking during our these hours. I wanted so badly for it to be as it had been, but I had to let that go. And...one morning I woke up and her head was noticeably larger. Her body was considerably larger. And suddenly she was actually looking at me when I held her to me. I felt both excitement at this new development, and dread at the inevitable truth: my baby is getting older. Someday, she would no longer be a baby. Someday, I would be packing her things and shipping her off to live her own life. Parenting is a continual process of letting go. Letting go of who your kiddo was, as their smallness and helplessness is replaced by growth and competency. Letting go of what we old behaviors to accept them exactly as they are. I continually try to remind myself to let go of who my baby was and fully embrace her just as she is.

May you, too, find peace in this practice.