Motherhood
an act of infinite optimism...
“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.” —Robert Browning
It was something I wasn’t expecting to see…A pair of shoes - actually, a very small pair of shoes.
How old was he when he wore these? After taking a moment to think about it, it came back to me…around a year old. Yes, I remember now…
I was going through my “treasure chest”, a box inside of my hope chest, filled with cards and photos and suddenly, there they were.
I couldn’t believe how small they were but as I held them in my hands, the memories came flooding back.
It was my son’s first professional photos and I know mothers are naturally biased about their children but he truly was a handsome and adorable child.
He was also filled with energy (like most toddlers) and I remember worrying about how he could possibly sit still long enough to get his picture taken.
But that is why professional photographers are skilled in their craft and that day she captured a beautiful picture that I absolutely love.
This fall Michael will turn 20 years old and when people tell you that time flies by as your child ages…well, I totally agree…because that is what I have experienced…
Over the years I have gotten a variety of cards and gifts from my son for Mother’s Day and I treasure them all but perhaps the most touching gift was a card given to me by my late sister-in-law Carol, who, like my mother, was an expert at selecting just the right card to capture the essence of an occasion.
It was given to me when I was pregnant with Michael and it said, “Already you are mother to the one you have brought into being - the one who sleeps to the rhythm of your heartbeat, knows the sound of your voice, occupies your every waking thought and appears in your dreams at night. Already you are mother to the little one who waits, just like you, for that beautiful day to come when you’ll look into each other’s eyes and see the lifetime of wonderful that lies ahead.”
Reading those words all these years later, I fully realize their meaning…
I also came across other items in my treasure box including photos of my mother and myself. Last year I reflected on my first Mother’s Day without my Mom. If you are dealing with the loss of your mother, I hope you find inspiration in that essay.
In essence, I learned how to be a mother from the example my Mom gave me…a person whose love and eternal optimism inspired me each and every day.
I am far from a perfect person but being a good parent isn’t about perfection…It is about doing your best with what you are dealing with at the time and forgiving yourself when you fall short of your goals.
Perhaps a quote from the show Call the Midwife, a series that my mother and I used to watch together, sums up the beautiful, exhausting, emotional and extraordinary experience known as motherhood…
“We are born knowing nothing and no one but our mother and never again will the world feel so complete. Our time on Earth becomes a quest for love. We look for love to feed us, love to teach us, love to help us grow and keep us safe. And we will find it because love is always closer than we think. Love is in every smile we exchange, every lesson we share, every hand we hold, every gift we give and we receive. Love is in every breath we take. It is…the greatest prize of all…”
What do you think?
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Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:
This week’s Smile video…
This is one of my all-time favorite “Smile” videos…Ever since Kylie Brown's parents brought home a duck named Snowflake, the two formed a close bond. Now, the two go everywhere together. Steve Hartman has their story on the road.
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
What I am watching…
“They say a woman’s work is never done and neither is a mother’s, any more than it begins or knows its boundaries. Day by day, night by night, morning by morning, a mother sees all things, seeks to meet all needs, and always with a love that need not speak its name.” ~Call The Midwife
For 13 seasons I have loved watching Call the Midwife on PBS. It is inspired by the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, who served as a midwife in Popular, England in the 1950’s and 60’s.
I admit that I fast-forward through the birth scenes, many of which are too graphic for me but the storylines and characters capture your heart and keep you coming back for more, year after year.
I can’t think of a better television series that captures the essence of motherhood.
What I am reading…
I have been reading a wonderful memoir entitled Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life. If you enjoy biographical books, this would be a great book for you.
The Amazon description is as follows: “Born in 1961 in war-torn Laos, Tswb’s childhood was marked by the violence of America’s Secret War and the CIA recruitment of the Hmong and other ethnic minorities into the lost cause. By the time Tswb was a teenager, the US had completely vacated Laos, and the country erupted into genocidal attacks on the Hmong people, who were labeled as traitors. Fearing for their lives, Tswb and her family left everything they knew behind and fled their village for the jungle.
Perpetually on the run and on the brink of starvation, Tswb eventually crossed paths with the man who would become her future husband. Leaving her own mother behind, she joined his family at a refugee camp, a choice that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Eventually becoming a mother herself, Tswb raised her daughters in a state of constant fear and hunger until they were able to emigrate to the US, where the determined couple enrolled in high school even though they were both nearly thirty, and worked grueling jobs to provide for their children.
Now, her daughter, Kao Kalia Yang, reveals her mother’s astonishing saga with tenderness and unvarnished clarity, giving voice to the countless resilient refugees who are often overlooked as one of the essential foundations of this country. Evocative, stirring, and unforgettable, Where Rivers Part is destined to become a classic.”
Time to relax…
Looking for a relaxing background on your television? Meditation Relax Music Channel presents a relaxing stress relief music video with beautiful nature and calm music for meditation, deep sleep and music therapy. Enjoy!
Comedy Lift…
I love to share funny cartoons or memes with friends and family. Who doesn’t need to smile? Here’s this week’s Comedy Lift…
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s another one of my favorites,
When God Made You My Mother by Riley Roth...Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….