When To Put Alone On Hold {five-minute friday}
August 28, 2015
{five-minute-friday}
A collaboration of writers. A collage of pieces focused on one weekly prompt. A five-minute challenge to write raw and exposed. Completely unedited. Magnificently honest.
This Week’s Prompt: Alone
Exactly when I decide to turn the alarm off and sleep in, whatever that means for a mom of three boys four and under, the baby begins to cry. He wants breakfast. And I am the only one who can deliver.
I hurry to pour some coffee, and grab him up from his crib. The house is quiet, but it won’t last long. Another one wakes within minutes. And then the third. “Play trains with me, Mama?” He asks it about every ten minutes for the past week. I’ve played a whole lot of trains lately.
I want to read and I want to write and my coffee hasn’t quite kicked in yet. He keeps asking about those trains.
In ten years I am going to really, really miss those trains.
Every morning I set that alarm, and set the coffee pot to be ready for me. It is my attempt at some time alone. Some rare quite time.
Some mornings it happens and it is beautiful and it refreshes my spirit.
Other times they wake early. And the day begins before I am ready for it.
And it is beautiful and refreshes my spirit.
Because it ends up that sitting on the floor to play trains with him is sometimes exactly what I need to begin my day right. Alone can wait.
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Raising kids stirs something deep in our souls — an innate knowing that our time is finite. Taking my kids outside in creation, I’m discovering how to stretch our time and pack it to the brim with meaning. God’s creativity provides the riches of resources for teaching the next generation who He is and how He loves us. Join our adventure and discover inspiration and resources for refusing rush, creating habits of rest, living intentionally, and making the most of this beautiful life!
I'm Eryn, Master Naturalist, Author, & Bible Teacher
Hey there!
I am so glad you play trains with him. You are so wise. As a grandma I know how time flies. I am often alone and you are right. It can wait.
Sooooo true. As a mom way past the toddler stage I remember those days. In fact I almost wrote about them today. I know the yearning for that alone time and so does God. This time with your littles will pass by in a flash. I’m glad you can see this moment as joy.