Mom Finds Pile Of Shoes On Front Porch And Realizes A Truth She Never Thought Of Before

Many parents really appreciate when their children have friends over but one of the problems that is often left behind is a big mess. There seems to be some comfort in hearing the noises from the other room or the fun that her children are having. It can be quite heartwarming. It becomes such a part of life that most parents don’t really give it the attention it deserves but eventually, they come to a realization that often takes them by surprise.

Some parents have children who go to their friend’s house on a regular basis. Other parents find that their home is the gathering place for everyone in the neighborhood. This can be fun but when everybody crashes, it can be very overwhelming. There is typically a large mess left behind and it usually falls on the mother to clean everything up once the kids are gone. That isn’t even to mention the grocery bill associated with a bunch of teenagers hitting the refrigerator in the middle of the night.

Heather Duckworth is a mother who understands all of these deep feelings. She shared something on her Facebook page about the amount of time that most parents have with their kids. It is 18 years and by the time the 18th summer comes to a close, things begin changing. She started to feel this when she saw a pile of shoes on her front porch.

“These shoes are a sure sign that it is summer and school is out. These shoes mean there is probably no food left in my house. These shoes mean noise and chaos and laughter and music. It means there are probably kids lounging on my sofa, floating in my pool, playing air hockey or watching a movie somewhere. These shoes mean that we are the designated hang-out house today.”

One day, she stopped before passing by the pile of shoes and she felt a profound sense of sadness. The kids who were now inside of her home and hanging out had been doing that for many years.

Those children shared a life with her own children. They were in the same classes, they experienced much of the same experiences and they lived life together. The shoes that were now on her porch would eventually be moving in different directions.

“Big changes are happening around here – for me and all these kids in my house. My heart knows it and feels it and that’s why the sight of these shoes has me feeling a little sentimental. I know that after this summer, things will never be the same again. This is a bittersweet part of parenthood . . . this transition from having them home to watching them leave. My head knows this is a good thing, but my heart . . . it just hurts.”

When she sees those shoes on the porch, she knows that her children are at home. She knows where they are and that they are safe under her roof.

That will not be the case much longer. Those shoes will eventually be found in dorm rooms and apartments throughout the country as the children move to other areas.

“And I know that all of these shoes might not find their way back home next summer as life takes them on new adventures. These thoughts hang over my head like a dark cloud . . . trying to steal the joy from the present moments. I shake my head, trying to force those wistful feelings away. I don’t want the sadness of what is to come to take away the happiness of today. But I am finding that I have to remind myself of that often during this 18th summer because every moment seems bittersweet.”

Heather said she will “embrace these shoes and I will be so thankful for them” while she has the opportunity to do so.

“I will buy all the snacks. I will welcome these kids into my home and let them crash on my couches. I will soak up the sounds of their laughter and I will make them clean up all of their messes. I will pray that everyone drives home safely and I will love having a full house. But most of all, I will do my best to choose happiness and joy for this moment right now and not let that dark cloud of sadness swallow me up. Because this moment right now . . . it is really good.”

Before her children pack and head off to college, she is going to treasure the last summer of the shoes. It won’t be long before the shoes will be gone and the porch will be empty.

Her post has gone viral.