Messages

“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” Neil Postman.
Memories bubble up, a jumble of being pregnant, diapers, crying…both me and the babies, toys, first day of school, little friends, road trips, teenagers, college and a wedding. I was focused on making sure my boys were living, never mind being messages.
Mother’s Day approaches and it takes me back to the arrival of my first son, Taylor. I was overwhelmed by the task ahead of me. My focus was on keeping him fed, changing his diapers and trying to sleep when he did. I decided that every day was a miracle, because we both survived. Hormones and lack of sleep may have had something to do with that.
It was after he grew enough to begin interacting with others, that I gave serious thought to his future. The days grew into years and just over 7 years later his brother Logan arrived. The same process of feeding and changing diapers began again. I was a bit less stressed out the second time around but still had a fairly narrow focus.
More years flew by and after 5 years of public school for Taylor, I began the adventure of homeschooling both he and Logan. I think it was then that I really focused on the work of teaching both boys, not only academics but the things that would form their character and prepare them for the future. I became rather driven with the task of trying to make sure that they could survive on their own once they left home.
“Make sure they’re socialized.”
“Are you sure they’re learning “real” school.”
I’m pretty sure that if someone would have asked me if I was preparing them to be living messages that I would send into the future, I would have had a rather massive panic attack.
I lost my temper, forgot things, made a massive pile of mistakes that I had to apologize for and spent hours praying that I wouldn’t completely mess up my sons.
Too soon, it seemed, college days were happening and then a wedding. Oh my goodness! The boys had become men who were off on their own and my time of substantial influence was passed. Regrets? Incomplete plans? Rest? Realization?
Yes, I choose the last one. Realization! I never gave up. As mothers we will make mistakes, be exhausted and need to apologize. We’ll never be perfect but we must never give up.
So this Mother’s Day I challenge the moms out there to get up each day, accept the fact that you won’t be perfect, fiercely love your kids and pray that you will have the strength to persevere. That in itself is a message worthy to be built into their lives and passed on to a time you will not see.