“People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
What if we thought about motherhood that way?
Years from now, Emery won’t remember that he basically ate the same meal every night – but I hope he remembers holding hands and praying as a family before dinner, raising our hands with an “Aaaaamen”. The sense of security in having a family who surrounds him with love, prayer and support.
He won’t remember all the cute outfits I splurged on, but I hope he’ll remember running through the sprinkler in his clothes and making “dirt angels” in the backyard. The encouragement to live free in the moment.
He won’t remember the schematics of every architectural masterpiece, but I hope he remembers the times we sat on the floor to build a Lego tower instead of worrying about the laundry tower. The reassurance of his value and worth are far beyond just a part of our daily to-dos.
He won’t remember the season of grunts and signs and his first words, but I hope he remembers the cheers and happy tears in every little win. The pride we feel in watching him grow because of who he is – and not what he accomplishes.
When we shift our focus from the clothes, toys, parties, spotless houses and homecooked meals to instilling values that will live on throughout their lives, we gain a new perspective to parenting.
It’s an eternal perspective that is actually a lot more fun and a lot easier to keep up with – it comes from the heart and goes straight to theirs.
