It happens just every once in awhile but when this moment occurs, it is priceless. It’s the upside-down moment that instead of seeing our little children from the grown-up perspective, we look up WITH them to view ourselves the way they see US. Last night, my five-year-old turned my perspective upside-down and I was shocked what I saw....I saw ME.
A mess of puzzle pieces all over the floor is how it all began.
“Hey, Mom, I picked up that puzzle mess for you. You didn’t even ask me to, I just did it. I wanted to help you.”
“Oh, wow--thanks, sweetie.” I was only half-listening as I helped get Gideon’s little sister into her pajamas.
“Yeah,” Gideon shrugged and offered this little, sweet smiled that caught my eye and melted my heart, “Sometimes your job isn’t too hard, right? Sometimes we help out and it’s a little more easy for you. I hope it will be a more easy job being a Mommy.”
I froze in the middle of zipping up pink footsie pajamas and felt myself suddenly shrinking to three and a half feet tall. I was a five-year-old looking at my Mommy, proud that I helped her because I could make her job easier. I somehow knew that my Mom thought her job was difficult...could it be because she complained about it sometimes? Did she sometimes even communicate an unspoken message that I was a burden instead of a blessing in her life?
“Hey, Mom, I picked up that puzzle mess for you. You didn’t even ask me to, I just did it. I wanted to help you.”
“Oh, wow--thanks, sweetie.” I was only half-listening as I helped get Gideon’s little sister into her pajamas.
“Yeah,” Gideon shrugged and offered this little, sweet smiled that caught my eye and melted my heart, “Sometimes your job isn’t too hard, right? Sometimes we help out and it’s a little more easy for you. I hope it will be a more easy job being a Mommy.”
I froze in the middle of zipping up pink footsie pajamas and felt myself suddenly shrinking to three and a half feet tall. I was a five-year-old looking at my Mommy, proud that I helped her because I could make her job easier. I somehow knew that my Mom thought her job was difficult...could it be because she complained about it sometimes? Did she sometimes even communicate an unspoken message that I was a burden instead of a blessing in her life?
My heart sank. I wasn’t sure I liked being five years old at that moment.
Nothing in life mattered more in that upside-down moment then pulling that little boy into my arms and setting the record straight.
“Gideon, do you know that I love being a Mommy? Even on the days it is hard, there is nothing in this world I would rather do than be your Mom. I’ve had a lot of jobs through the years but this has been and will ALWAYS be my favorite job ever.” I squeezed him in my arms while a tear squeezed from the corner of my eye.
My world was turned upside-down when I viewed myself from the eyes of a five-year-old.
Nothing in life mattered more in that upside-down moment then pulling that little boy into my arms and setting the record straight.
“Gideon, do you know that I love being a Mommy? Even on the days it is hard, there is nothing in this world I would rather do than be your Mom. I’ve had a lot of jobs through the years but this has been and will ALWAYS be my favorite job ever.” I squeezed him in my arms while a tear squeezed from the corner of my eye.
My world was turned upside-down when I viewed myself from the eyes of a five-year-old.
1 comment:
I just stumbled across your blog today searching google for "parental flunkie." It came up with your french flunkie post. :)
Anyway, this brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing. From the little bit I've read your perspective is right on. And your family is beautiful.
Here's to being grateful to be a Mommy, even when it's hard and the rugrats are crazy!
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