Growing Children

As moms we are the gardeners of our children's lives. First we grow them under our hearts, unaware they will soon steal the very heart that is nurturing them. Then we learn that they are growing within and we automatically start rubbing our tummies and talking to them lovingly.

It is the rare mom who really doesn't give her child unconditional love. It is even more rare for a child not to get totally attached to their mom no matter how good a mom she is. Our child isn't the only one that grows, we grow too. Our children teach us patience, diplomacy and kindness at a level we did not posses before. We learn through them, to look at the world in a different way. We teach them to become responsible and independent all the while learning to let them go. If we have done a good job, they leave the nest that we have feathered for them joyfully, with optimism and ready to take on the world. We smile as we pack their things, wave and smile with tears running down our faces as the vehicle turns into the street and collapse into a sobbing mess as soon as they are out of site. We are so happy for them yet just as scared as we were those first few nights, when we slipped into the nursery to make sure that they were still breathing. Life has now placed us in a supporting role, yet in our hearts, they remain our children forever. In our minds we still want to catch them when they fall, kiss their knee when they scape it and protect them from harm. Now as they grow outside the nest, we have to learn to let them make their decisions and support them whatever the decision to the best of our ability. We must do everything we can to love the people they love and add them to our families.

Can you tell, I saw my son this Sunday and I am so proud of him, my heart is signing! His life is everything that any mom could hope for, and his long time girlfriend is wonderful. However, when his car and mine turn in opposite directions, I still miss him... alot!

I want to dedicate this post to all the moms out there, especially those who have children living in harms way, and in particular to my loving friend Kenda, whose eldest son is currently serving his country far away from home.