Ending The School Year With Intention
“You’re going to miss this.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that phrase over the last twelve years of motherhood.
And while I know there’s truth in it…
I also think sometimes we say it too carelessly.
Because there have been seasons of motherhood that were truly beautiful.
And there have also been seasons that felt incredibly hard.
Seasons where I wasn’t trying to “soak it all in.”
I was simply trying to make it through the day.
And I think it’s important to say that out loud.
Especially this time of year.
Because May can feel like a blur.
The performances.
The field days.
The countdowns.
The graduations.
The spirit weeks.
The emotional whiplash of wrapping up another school year.
And whether this season felt beautiful, messy, exhausting, joyful or all of the above…
I still think there’s something important about pausing long enough to reflect on it.
Not to force gratitude.
Not to pretend every moment was magical.
But to notice…
The growth that happened.
The lessons we learned.
The ways God carried us through.
The goodness that was there, even in imperfect seasons.
A Simple Way to Mark the End of a Season
Recently, I heard Kendra Adachi describe this practice as a “closing ceremony.”
Not in a formal or elaborate way.
Just the simple act of intentionally marking the end of a season before rushing into the next one.
And honestly, I think many of us are probably already doing this in small ways without even realizing it.
A family dinner.
Ice cream after pickup.
The first swim of summer.
A graduation party.
A slower evening together.
The point isn’t to add one more thing to your plate.
It’s simply to pause long enough to acknowledge:
This season mattered.
Questions to Notice the Goodness
So maybe while you’re eating that ice cream or enjoying your celebratory dinner, here are a few questions you could ask to invite some reflection:
What was one of your favorite memories from this school year?
What was something hard you worked through?
What’s something you’re proud of?
Where did you see God show up this year?
Simple questions.
But sometimes those are the ones that help us notice the most.
Looking Back Before Looking Ahead
I think there’s something grounding about reflecting before moving into a new season.
Not because every season was perfect.
But because every season holds something worth carrying forward.
A lesson.
A memory.
An answered prayer.
A little more growth than we realized was happening at the time.
So before we rush into summer, I invite you to pause long enough to notice what this season held for you and your family.
To reflect, celebrate, grieve, give thanks, and begin again.
With you in the practice,
Melina
Melina is the founder of Melina Kane Coaching, a certified Christian Life Coach in Texas (servicing Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Georgetown, and Pflugerville). She loves helping Christian women anchor their homes, hearts, and habits in God’s design for their life. She’s an Enneagram 2 + recovering perfectionist who’s never met a stranger, so come say Hi! on Instagram @melinakanecoaching.
