As we enter May, there are many sweet celebrations happening…and many will be celebrated with gatherings and feet under your table.
There are mamas who need tissues to celebrate little ones graduating from preschool programs, which is the precursor to entering kindergarten…and then there are kindergarten graduations.
There are parents whose lives have been placed in a tailspin of college applications, caps and gowns, and award programs before they actually “cross the stage” and get the diploma.
There are moments of jubilant celebration that can’t be contained. Graduation caps tossed in the air, graduation parties, gifts, and thank you notes mixed in with the feeling of change.
Celebrating sentimental times, at best. Thoughts of, ”am I prepared for this”, are in the thoughts and hearts of both parents and children in the middle of the mad dash out the door…ready to seek a new era of life.
Then there are bridal showers and weddings that have begun to be added back into my calendar to celebrate new families and homes beginning.
Whew! Hand me the box of tissues please! There’s joy amidst the loss of children moving out and newness of school campuses, independence, and life all mixed up in a whirl of emotions.
How are you handling this newness and change? Perhaps, you are simply not in that season of life, but quietly watching from the sidelines as those moms and dads post on social media things like, “how could my baby be this big”? You can see photos of babies move through the years and end where they are now—whether at graduations or weddings. You can feel the tears flowing and hearts at a loss as those kids leave the nest.
Mother’s Day is added to the mix. Perhaps remembering those who are no longer with us…or those who are still present to represent the matriarch of our families. Gatherings that celebrate the beginnings for all of us. Stories to be told and food to be shared as we gather around a table in celebration of the moms in our life.
There may be other celebrations of birthdays on your calendar. There are many in our family who will require breakfast brunches, birthday parties, and family gatherings to celebrate.
We end this month with another sentimental celebration. It’s that time of year when we remember those who have given their lives in service for our country, praying that more of our military will not be lost in all that’s happening in our world today.
That Memorial Day weekend heralds the beginning of summer and end of school year getaways.
What celebrations are in your life this month?
Are there anniversaries or retirements in your future?
Maybe there’s a fun run or marathon you’ve worked for months to accomplish.
How is your May shaping up? Does it require tissues for the tears of sweet celebration? Are there times for gift giving or receiving in weeks that lie ahead?
Get those “hankies” ready, friends, for all those celebrations—whether small or large.
They are markers of life that are etched in timelines and provide memories for a lifetime.
Don’t forget to celebrate them all!
