Get ready to cry. No, seriously – get ready to cry. This video should come with a warning label for parents that reads something along the lines of, “Only watch if you have a box of tissues handy.”
When Nichole Nordeman’s song ‘Slow Down’ was posted on YouTube, the singer hoped that it might become a “meaningful soundtrack” for Mother’s Day or the graduation season. And it did, well beyond Nordeman’s expectations.
With more than 15 million views in the first week alone, the song is making a mega impact worldwide. Nordeman wrote ‘Slow Down’ the night before her son’s fifth grade graduation.
Instead of rehearsing the song that she had planned on singing at the graduation, Nordeman picked up old photos of her son. As she paged through photo albums she said (on her website), “My heart actually hurt. I sat at the piano and let Slow Down spill out, washed in a sea of tears of gratitude and ache for all the little boy moments in the rear view mirror, and for all the extraordinary moments on the road ahead of him, now.”
As many parents know, the grind of daily life can quickly take precedence over the kids. As they run across the playground, it’s easy to start answering emails on your mobile or text your friend about plans you have for the weekend. But, as this song points out, we all need to slow down and take the time to notice the everyday moments. Before we know it, our babies have grown into eye-rolling teens. After that they leave the nest and move on into their own lives. The video’s inclusion of babies, young children, older kids and adults (as a dad walks his grown daughter into her wedding) shows just how important every little memory is.
Even the times that seem mundane or not-so-special may just be memory-makers. When you look back on your child’s early years, it seems like they flew by. This is what Nordeman’s song captures. Whether your child is 6-weeks, 6-months, 6-years, 16 or an adult, take a piece of this song to heart and slow down. So, grab your tissues, turn on your tablet and watch the video on YouTube.
