No Longer the Littlest - Making Summer Memories

If you’re anything like me you try to make the most of every season, especially summer. The blue skies, hot sun, and sound of splashes and laughter in the pool are missed once school starts again and yearned for during the cold months. Each season only comes once per year and though we know it will come again next year and every year after this, things will be different.

Children give us the wonderful gift called the reminder that time is fleeting. I took my son to a splash pad recently with a friend of mine and her daughter. As I sat under the umbrella with my panting pup next to me, I had a realization: my son is no longer the littlest. Of course it’s part of life for everyone to grow and it would be alarming if we all stayed babies forever! But that doesn’t change the feeling of grief that comes when we realize things like this.

Something I struggle with is comparison and the anxiety that comes along with it. When my son was 1 we went for walks every morning before I started my work day at my 9-5 at the time. When my son was 2 our morning ritual included walks every morning, enjoying a breakfast picnic on a dock at a pond, and going to the park. Now that my son is older and wakes up later I find it harder to get out for a morning walk since the temperatures rise so quickly. Rather than embracing that I now get to sleep in and am no longer waking up at 6 am to nurse a baby before working a traditional job, I find myself comparing and trying to force this summer to be like the last ones and getting frustrated that our routine isn’t identical to summers prior.

What if instead of focusing on what’s gone we focus on what’s in front of us? Instead of being sad about my son no longer being the littlest at the splash pad, I allowed myself to feel glad and grateful? He’s growing how he’s supposed to, he’s always going to be my little boy no matter how old he gets, and I even get to leave the splash pad in dry clothes since I no longer have to chase him into the splash pad (although that won’t stop me from joining in on the fun).

This concept of “letting go” of the past doesn’t mean forgetting. It means appreciating the positive things of the past (while also acknowledging that things weren’t perfect then either) and creating space for fond memories to be created here and now. This can be applied to anything from kids growing up, losing a friend, going through a breakup/divorce, moving somewhere new, shifting career paths, grieving a loved one.

Maybe things won’t be the same ever again. It’s heartbreaking. It’s okay to feel sad and allow yourself to feel the sadness. Let the feelings wash over you because without feeling the sadness we lose access to feeling joy. and in turn

The beautiful tragedy of our world is that grief is the price we pay for love.

About Brooke’s BabblesBrooke’s Babbles is a podcast and blog where storytelling meets soul. Hosted by marketing consultant and professional babbler Brooke, Brooke’s Babbles offers honest conversations, insightful tips, and real life stories. Whether you're here for storytelling, connection, mindset shifts, or a dose of inspiration, you’re in the right place.