Childhoodtake2!

Every Friday we unite for five minutes. Only five minutes, that's all we get, that's all we have. And then, right where we are, no edits or second-thoughts, we publish those words. This week, we write on determine.

Go.

When you determine that it's time to move on.
When you determine that it's time to dig in.
When you determine that it's time to let love, life, laughter, and kindness back into your heart, your home.
When you determine your priorities and what you need to make come first.
When you determine what you want this life to look like, but as a parent, not just for you, but for your littles too.
When you determine what you want your life to look like because even as a parent, there is still a you, separate and apart from them.
When you determine what you want your work to look like.
When you determine what you want your marriage to be, how often that changes, and how you have to work on growing together, growing with, growing.
When you determine what you want to be spending your time on, and who you want to be spending it with.
When you determine you have to unravel a lot of your world so you can slowly, calmly, kindly, and gently...put it back together, this time with scars and cracks.

When you determine that life in your 40s is different and you are growing farther and farther away from that 20 something that was just there yesterday.
When you determine that the 30 something that helped build this life is also looking less recognizable.
Because life in your 40s IS different.
It comes with kids, not babies.
It comes with aging parents, and you in the middle like an awful sandwich.
It comes with magic you have to create, it's not just naturally there anymore, you have to make it happen.
It comes with second chapters and different careers and different life priorities.
It comes with determining that this is our life...right now...so what are we going to do with it?

Stop.