Here I Am

One of my little gals had a rough morning. After a long weekend, she was trying her best to kick start the week…and things just weren't falling in place. You know those kind of days? The ones that grab hold and throw you into a full throttle tailspin, leaving you longing for sunset before the sun has fully come up. She was on exactly that course.

As she headed out the door, the better part of myself interceded. Hustle and bustle were pushed to the side. I kneeled down, turned her around, looked straight into her eyes, and asked if she was having a crazy morning. Her eyes welled up ever-so-slightly as she nodded yes. I hugged her — tightly — and promised to be here waiting after school. Arms wide open. If need be. Her face brightened just enough that as she went out the door, I felt like we might have turned the day around in the nick of time. Happy sigh.

Looking back on our years, what we remember are moments. Not years. Not months. Perhaps slices of days. But mostly, it is a moment. We string together the best, the worst…and all those in between. And as a mother, I have NO idea which moments will be significant in my children's lives, but I am always full of gratitude when inspiration awakens me enough to stop, connect, and really look into my daughters' eyes so I see and know they are okay. While I know I won't always get it right, I hope I remember to do it more often. You know, remember to remember that "with each kiss, with each lesson, we are doing the work of the ages."*

Precisely.

*Denise Roy