Day Sixty-eight: A Big ol' Pile of Parenting

"No matter how big and bad you are, when a two-year-old hands you a toy phone, you answer it." ~author Unknown

The house was silent, only the sounds of whispered voices mixed in with the crackle and pops of the fire burning low in our fireplace. I lay stretched out on one end of the loveseat, my twenty-one year old daughter occupying the other. On this cold winter's night, with the dogs sleeping at our feet, the rest of the family tucked in bed upstairs, Sarah and I snuggled together solving all the world's problems. She picked my brain about her possible future plans and asked many philosophical questions on motherhood, religion, and life in general. How many times had the same scene played out with me and Aunt Mattie, I wondered to myself, as she was always my go-to person when I needed these sorts of conversations. I knew if she was looking down on us she was most certainly smiling.

"How do you nurture a child, mom?" my daughter wanted to know. "How do you know when to be strict and when to give them space? How do you make them feel loved and important? Be inspiring? Someone they can really look up to?" All good questions, I thought as I hugged her legs that were tucked up against my hip. I kept silent, knowing she didn't really need definitive answers, which was good because frankly I didn't have them. Even if you do all the "right things" (...and defining those is sketchy, at best), there are no guarantees. And how could I tell this intelligent young lady, who loves animals, is strong in her Catholic faith and has a passionate desire for justice in the world, that she was going to be an exceptional mother without her rolling her eyes, thinking I'd say it just because I am her mother? Parenting, like many other things in life, is a big ol' messy risk, and the only way we get through it is to do our very best and add a heaping amount of Hope.

Monumental changes are in store for both of my girls this year, and as I cuddled with the little one last night, said a quiet prayer for God to give them both courage and guidance. My girls already have the security of knowing their mama adores them, is rooting for their success. They also know in my arms is where they will always find Safe Harbour. Perhaps those are the best things anyone can ever give us...unconditional love, faith in us, and a safe place to land when we need it. Today I am very happy that my daughters respect my opinion, want to know what I think, and are not too old to snuggle with their mom.

---

Sarah & Aztec