Wonder Moments

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There are times when being a motherwoman can be so stressful you actually wonder what life would have been like if you hadn't had kids. We have all been there. The guilt you feel afterward for thinking that way is heart wrenching.

Then, there are those moments that remind you about how absolutely wonderful being a motherwoman can be and you can't imagine life without your children. The surprising thing is that most of those moments are never the landmark moments you'd expect to draw such an emotional reaction from, like baby's first steps or the first day of kindergarten. No, more often than not, they are the very small unexpected moments in between moments that can melt your heart.

Take the other day, for example. I was washing the dishes, wondering how it is possible to go through every fork, dish, and cup we own on a daily basis and debating whether or not we should go Moroccan and just start eating with our hands directly from the serving dish when my son came up to me and pleaded, "Up, up, Mommy. Uppa." Whenever he talks that way, I know he just wants some loving and reassurance from me.

I actually groaned, thinking to myself, "If I stop what I'm doing now, I may never finish this pile of dishes and it will haunt me for the rest of the day."

I was tempted to tell him, "Not now."

But then, as I looked down at his little face and outstretched arms, just begging me to hold him, I realized that the dishes could wait. After all, what could possibly be more important than loving him? And at moments like these when I face the dilemma of finishing a neccessary task and spending time with my children, I wonder...what if this is the last time he wants me to cuddle him like that?

I imagined us fifteen years into the future...my petite little frame crushed under the weight of this giant man-child teenager with long, awkward arms and legs trying to nestle into my lap for some cuddling...yeah, it's not likely he'll want to be held this way forever.

I crouched down so that he could climb on and I just wrapped my arms tightly around him and hugged him. He reciprocated joyfully by wrapping his chubby little hands tightly around my neck and smooshing his delightfully squishy face into mine. For that moment, time really did stand still. It was absolutely wonderful to get lost in that embrace with him. It didn't last, though.

"PUT ME DOWN!” he demanded, as if I had just held him against his will.

I laughed. How quickly he moves on! After receiving reassurance from me that I loved him without reservations, he was ready to face the world and begin a new adventure.

You see, it's those little moments that can really make the experience of being a motherwoman truly satisfying and worthwhile. In celebration of hugging moments, here's a little poem from Shel Silverstein, one of the best children's poetry writer ever...

Excerpt from "Where the Sidewalk Ends," by Shel Silverstein
Click here to visit his site!