Happy Almost Mother's Day to all the moms out there! A special wish for you to be showered with love, hugs, kisses and cupcakes (and texts from your adult children who live in another city)! I'm hoping the family remembers to reserve Raul for my massage, Chaz for my hair and make-up, and Richard Gere for my Tango lesson...it's a Bucket List thing!
Mommyhood, or Motherhood as some refer to it, is an opportunity that lasts a lifetime. We may not always want it, but it's there, and it's ours! We have been given gifts from God that are so incredibly unique and special. It's up to us, and friends, and family, and sometimes perfectly amazing strangers who are sometimes disguised as teachers or doctors, to wrap ourselves around each other in order to grow these wonderful gifts until they learn to grow themselves! Whew! Not a job for the faint-hearted!
I'm taking my unique and special gifts out to breakfast this weekend at
IHOP. Since I'm paying, I get to pick the place! After my massage,
beautification and dancing, I am meeting a good friend who will
accompany me to
Listen To Your Mother, St. Louis, which is a performance
of live readings by local writers, about their experiences as moms, or
experiences about their moms. Fifty percent of the proceeds from this
event will go to
Connections to Success,
an organization that works to help women break the poverty cycle
through hope, resources and a plan. I submitted a piece to read for this
event, but alas, they could only choose 12 to perform. I'd like to share my
story with you here.
They Call Me Mom!
Mooooooooom! Mommy? Mother! Mama! Thanks, mom! I love you Mommie! Mom….
Each of these statements evokes deep emotional memories for
me. I said these words to my mom, and
these very words have come back to me via my children…all four of them…and
sometimes simultaneously! I’m a mom, and
a happy, full-fledged member of an extraordinary group known as Motherhood!
The gift of a child may come to us in different ways. It
doesn’t matter how they came to us; just that they are here and we are blessed
to have them in our lives. My husband and I planned to have two children…God
said “I don’t think so!” I said, "okay.." I was up for the challenge. What else did I have going on? My twenties were filled with taking chances
and being unaccountable for my actions. I promised myself to grow up in my
thirties…and I did, with a vengeance! My
first was born when I was 31 and my fourth, when I was 39. I grew up, but I also grew younger because of
them. I learned how to play all over
again!
I believe that Motherhood extends beyond child-rearing and
can include anyone who cares for, nurtures, and stresses relentlessly about the
well-being of another person…who could be a sibling, a parent, a pet (or pets),
or in many cases…ourselves. Mothering
ourselves is paramount for our survival.
We know exactly what we want and we know how to get it, even if our
“want” turns out to be what we “need!”
There are people who have been charged with the “challenge” of
Motherhood who are not stepping up to their responsibilities. Maybe they are unable, or maybe they have no
interest in fulfilling this part of their legacy. I pray that someone will reach out to them
and offer help.
Motherhood, for many of us, is about guiding, not
control. There is, actually, a difference. I only recently became aware of this having spent
years telling my children what to do with their lives. I still have days where I want to jump into
the “Double Dutch” game of life with them, spewing words of experience and
wisdom, but then I feel the firm hand of the big guy above covering my mouth
and I take a step back. I now share my
thoughts (when I’m asked) being ever-so-careful not to solve their problems,
but to give them some options to figure it out themselves!
On the emotional side, here are some examples of the highest
of joys and the deepest of pain to which moms from everywhere can relate.
Hearing a heartbeat for
the first time
Making eye contact
with a little one and the mutual smile that ensues
Watching the bus
drive away with a kindergartner on that first day of school
Reading the words “I
love you” written in crayon…on the wall
Feeling the gentle, final
breath as it brushes against the face…forever
Bursting with pride as
the Eagle Scout receives his award while the live eagle poops on stage right
Releasing a flood of
tears as the pint-sized casket is lowered into the ground
Enduring the endless
nights of fevers; amazed at the fleeting years that have vanished
Swallowing the lump
in the throat as the bride and father walk down the aisle
All of these are
badges of Motherhood. We have certainly earned them, and we wear them with
pride. I feel privileged to be a Mother. I have been deeply touched and I now live my
life with more conviction and purpose because of my experiences as a Mom. I’m thrilled to pieces every time they call
me Mom…no matter how they say it!
Thanks for stopping by today. I hope that all moms (and dads) are made to feel loved this weekend!
Artwork provided by the
The Graphics Fairy, LCC
