Creating Memories
The importance in life.
Life is about memories.
Make them.
Don’t wait for them.
As I grow older, memories become increasingly important to me. For example, above all else, I hold dear the memories of my youth spent with my mother. This has inspired me to create memories with my young adult children.
With our different lives, it can become a challenge now and then. But we try to do simple things together, such as going to the grocery store. During these outings, I get a glimpse into their lives and thoughts, and these moments have become profoundly meaningful to me.
They don’t fully grasp the significance of these moments yet. Still, as they mature, they’ll understand that those walks were more than just a shopping trip. It was a way for us to connect in a manner we couldn’t achieve indoors, glued to the TV.
While my children’s well-being has always been my top priority, I’ve started considering my needs now that they’re approaching adulthood. I understand this is a significant change for them, but I want them to know I’m there for them no matter what!
These days, I find more satisfaction in writing than watching the latest MTV music video. I also prefer a simple home-cooked meal over a large oven dish that would mostly go to waste.
Baking is something the kids are experimenting with these days. When I return home tired from work on their school-free day, I might walk into a kitchen that smells amazing or, well, not so great, depending on the success of their baking project.
And I’m perfectly okay with that.
It’s another phase in our lives that we’re all adapting to.
I’m adjusting to the fact that my children aren’t children anymore, and they’re adjusting to me doing things for myself that don’t always include them.
It’s another phase for them on their journey to adulthood and for me to gain more time for self-discovery.
As I read “Mama, Let’s Make Cookies!” by Melissa Corrigan, it brought back memories of Christmas in our home.
Among the things my teens look forward to the most during Christmas is starting early in the kitchen, where we stay until sometimes late in the afternoon. We open the gifts in the evening. There’s no rush.
We’ve pre-agreed on what we’ll create: cookies, cakes, food — it’s all or nothing. And I love that we’re cooking together.
Especially now that the teens have grown older, I know it’s only a matter of time before they want to move out and spread their wings. So, I’m doing my best to create memories until that day.
One of my favourite lines from Melissa’s text:
“It’s not just a cookie. It’s a few moments of conversation while you roll the dough into balls and line them in neat rows on the cookie sheet.”
In my household, we may consume fewer cookies than Melissa, but working in the kitchen with my teens is always a special event. Although it happens more often that they tell me to set the table instead of helping out with the cooking.
Cooking with the children has always been more than just cooking. It’s a special moment, akin to our walks, where I discover what’s happening in their lives. Who’s the troublemaker in the classroom? Who’s the charmer? Why didn’t the exam go as planned?
I cherish these moments more now than ever before. When they let me into their lives. I hope they’ll cherish these memories as much as I do when they get older.
Serena
