What Can 7.5 Years Teach You?
Seven and a half is an odd number, not quite a decade, not a milestone amount.
I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but as my son graduated from high school this year, I realized that only 7.5 years ago he was still in elementary school. Back then, I was deeply involved in his co-op school, logging volunteer time, working along many wonderful parents, doing things that were comfortable for me, art related? Sign me up! But many that stretched me in surprising ways, skits anyone?
Watching the seniors visit their old school made the time progression so real. So many feelings surfaced, and it was a beautiful experience, one that reminded me how much the things we do for our kids and with our kids truly matter. To realize their maturing and to witness the lasting impact those memories had was so precious.
And it also stirred up some harder memories. To remember that young inexperienced version of myself, the one who tried hard to keep the peace, who thought that pleasing others was more important than trusting what felt right.
I still dislike conflict, but now I understand how resentment often grows when we compromise boundaries, we haven’t yet learned to hold firm. Seeing that clearly now feels empowering. Yet, I still love that version of me 7.5 years ago that tried her best with what she knew and had. The experiences weren’t perfect, but they were meaningful and mattered.
So, what am I trying to say?
What we do matters.
I am acknowledging the flawed but eager parent I have been, and I am learning to honor the choices I made. I am rewriting the narrative from “what if I had done this or that?” to “now, what can I learn and how can I grow from that experience?” I am extending grace to all my awkward moments, celebrating the growth, and being thankful for my many mistakes because they all mean that I was trying.
If you need to hear it today: Mistakes are proof of effort and a sign of progress. They mean you are taking action.
As life is spinning faster this season, I am holding close to the idea that we are constantly planting seeds, not only through what we do, but also with the things we don’t do. It all matters. So, what do we want our next 7.5 minutes to look like, what is our intention for the next 7.5 hours? Small steps are all it takes to get going.
Now what does this all have to do with art?
Everything!
That same rhythm of parenthood of showing up, stumbling, learning, and growing mirrors my creative journey, too. Reflecting on the past has helped me take inventory and recommit to my practices with renewed purpose. It reminded me of the reality of reciprocity, that when we give with sincerity, something meaningful always comes back, maybe not in the way we expect, but often in the way we need.
As Thomas Aquinas put it "You get what you give, and what you give determines what you get back. There is no other option for it."
So here’s a question for you: what seeds are you planting today?
And if you are unsure how to begin, start small. One kind word. One boundary honored. One doodle, One deep breath. That’s enough to start a ripple. And you are not doing it alone.