Tourniquet Embraces

Last night my 3-yeard old son woke up in the middle of the night with a bad dream. He transferred to our bed and asked me to hug him as he tries to go back to sleep. He wanted me to give him a super tight hug and he was embracing my arm like a tourniquet before an injection. I was in a rather awkward/straining position but I did not want to move.

After a few hours of sleep, my daughter woke me up at four in the morning and wanted me to cuddle her back to sleep. I lie awake watching her sleep comfortably in my arms. She would wake up a little when I try to put her down so I had to carry her a little longer. I was tired and losing sleep but my mind was also thinking, in a few years I would not be able to carry her to sleep like this anymore. She would be too heavy and I will miss every second of these sleepless nights special moments.

I recently watched a video entitled ‘The Gift of an Ordinary Day’ and one of the lines that was so meaningful for me was when the mom talked about her grown-up kids and said ‘I miss saying goodnight in person’.  And I thought, my children will eventually grow up and have families of their own. They will eventually move out of our room, and even move out of the house. I know it will be one of the most difficult transitions in my life - just thinking about it feels like a heavy rock is lodged between my heart and my throat.  But before that day comes, I will enjoy every tourniquet embrace, every kiss, and every waking hour of carrying them back to sleep. Those moments may not be there forever but I will take mental pictures and enjoy those memories for the rest of my life.

To all the parents out there, enjoy each time spent with your kids. Complain less, cherish more. These are the times of our lives.  Don’t let it slip away.