We are all born with a selfish nature; that is just part of being human. However, I have found that a strange phenomenon occurs whenever a woman becomes a mother. It changed me and as I observe all of the young women around me who are becoming mothers, I find this to be a universal truth. There is no longer the emphasis on "self", instead it is all about that little being that is soon to be the center of their world.
It all begins with the physical and emotional changes that a woman goes through as she prepares for motherhood. For those carrying their own child, a bit of self fades away as one realizes that it is worth losing your figure over to bring a new life into this world. And as that child begins to grow and move within you, the emotional strings begin to attach. Little does one know at that time that those string are made of material that can never be broken.
A woman soon finds out what motherhood is all about when that cute little bundle is sent home with her from the hospital. The long nights of colic and crying were not truly explained to her but her instincts kick in and she soon "figures it out". The bonding continues as mother and child get to know each other in a more personal way outside of the womb. From rolling over to crawling, walking and running, the mother watches as her baby begins to grow into a more independent being. However, when they are feeling bad or simply tired at the end of the day, they always return to their mother's lap. And the mother smiles; life is complete.
As a child moves along at life's rapid pace, often times mothers are not yet ready for their precious child to enter the "real world". The "real world", they know from experience, is not always a friendly place and they long to keep their child within the comfortable confines of their warm and protected nest. However, life does move along and so does the child and mother. It is in the "real world" that the mother's protective role is tested beyond what sometimes they ever could expect. Going to bat every day as a cheerleader of sorts, the mother attempts to help their child navigate difficult situations. Waking each day to teach their offspring the lessons that will not only get them through the day, but life as well is a huge responsibility that the mother bears.
Changes continue for the mother as her child enters the realm of social life in high school. She becomes a little sad as she sees her child slipping from childhood to adolescence; she knows that adulthood is right around the corner. The mother continues to nurture this half child, half adult who still returns to her shoulder for comfort whenever things don't go as planned. The mother has made her home a soft place to land and the child knows this. This thing called motherhood has morphed into a career; one that has consumed her, one that is a 24 hour a day job, one she would never give up in a million years.
As adolescence turns into adulthood and the child flies away from the nest to test their wings in the new world of college, the mother (outwardly) excitedly sends them off, hoping that she has equipped them with all of the right skills to become independent. Secretly inside, she is crying. Where did the life of this child go? It passed far too quickly for her.
One day the child comes home to say that they have met the "right one"; the one they want to marry and spend the rest of their life with. In the whirlwind of excitement, sadness can also be found. MY CHILD? How can this be? It was only yesterday that I held you in a blanket, watched you learn to crawl, skipped rope with you. And the mother is suddenly overwhelmed at the circle of life.
"The Circle of Life"does not stop. Life continues in a cycle, as it should. Motherhood is a journey; one often filled with unexpected joy and sadness. Once a woman has become a mother, she can never go back to where she was before. The children may grow up and move away, but they are always near in a mother's heart, mind and life. There is not a day that she wakes without thinking of her children. They have woven themselves into her very being. Women miraculously change when they bring a child into this world. They simply do not know how much a child will eventually reshape their life and how full a life can be until one day they look at those children who have become adults, and find that all the hard work and sacrifices and tears have paid off. The joy of a mother comes not only daily, but also when she see the fruits of her labor...and they are good.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Happy Mother's Day, YaYa!
ReplyDelete