Do you remember the last time you carried your child? I recently read something on Facebook from a mom who wrote about the last time she carried her son in her arms. He was 18 at this point. They were taking a rare walk together and when she realized she couldn’t remember the last time she had carried him, they decided she would give him a piggy back ride for a few feet to make her feel better. I thought it was very sweet. And then I thought about it some more…

How old were my kids when I last carried them in my arms? There is no way I can remember that. They are 26, 22 and 20 now. I can’t remember the last time I carried any of them, but I will never forget the feeling. I could easily argue that there is no better feeling than having the arms of a child around your neck. My youngest would put her arms up and say, “mommy, I hold you” when she wanted to be picked up. Oh how I miss that.

I wish I had known at the time that that would be the last time. I would have held them longer. I would have snuggled and kissed and smelled that intoxicating child smell a little longer. I long for the days when there was always one of them close by and ready for mommy to lift them up and carry them along.

I wonder if my kids truly understand what goes through my head when they hug me now. Do they know how happy it makes me? How much I need those hugs? Can they feel how deeply I love them when they hug me? I wonder if they’d mind if I hung on a little longer. Just a little longer.

Maybe I should offer a piggy back ride..

Thanks for reading..

Until next time,

Donna