Thursday, December 4, 2008

Musings of a Concerned Mom

How do you take the most wonderful, exasperating, exhilarating, challenging, heart breaking and rewarding job in the whole of existence and reduce it to a few meager sentences? It simply is an impossibility. 

God and life have given me four wonderful, unique individuals  (children) that I love dearly. Each one is special and wonderfully part of my life's story. Some write more colorfully upon the canvas of my existence because they choose to make daily brush strokes while others waltz through occasionally to add their splash of color to my life. These are events that I cherish. It is a heart's desire that in some way I add value to each of their lives as well. 

Parenting is most likely one of the hardest paths to walk. There are so many hopes and dreams that are held within a parent's heart for a child. A parent may recognize the seed of potential, talents and giftings, intelligence that point toward a destiny. This is a wonderful, painful dual edged sword. It is impossible to perfectly guide a child into his or her destiny, through the process of self discovery and to a place of knowing, appreciating and embracing who they are as that unique individual. What a bitter sweet gift given to parents.

Unfortunately all too often another phenomenon occurs... The journey of developing and finding who they are as an individual is short circuited or derailed by the desire to be in a different stage in life. Headlong they rush into the place of serious relationship and a portion of their journey is lost never to be recovered. I cannot fathom how many parents have experienced this dilemma; standing by and watching, attempting to offer sincere guidance out of a heart of love and concern only to have it misunderstood and rejected. Our wonderful little ones have to find their own way, make their own decisions, make their own mistakes, live their own lives and yet as a parent it can be so challenging to allow them to hurt. Why did God give us this divine mission knowing that it will be such a place of mountain top joys and valley lows. 

Grow into who you were created to be and thrive on your journey. Discover who you are and my greatest hope is that you will not look back when you are my age and reflect with regret. My love goes with you always, no matter where you roam, who you are with or how often we communicate. 

3 comments:

Trina said...

Ok parenting 101 meet Thelma's take on parenting. I'm no where near where you are in this life cycle of parenting, but...I will someday. And your right, it's tough. I can only imagine where you are, considering my big guidance dilemma's are keeping kids off of the counter and away from things that would hurt them. I love you. Don't worry, things will work out and lessons will be learned. Sometimes as children we have to take the rocky back woods path to make it to the smooth highway. And you should know that more than anyone.

Amelia said...

Nice analogy Trina! No matter how much you would like for your children to learn from the mistakes you made in your life. They insist for some reason on making their own life choices. Traveling the road they prefer. In the end all you can do is guide, love and help dust off their pants when they fall down.

twinmamabee said...

Great post! I especially like the part about the ones who leave daily brushes on your life while others add splashes of color...that was a really cool narrative.