During our Christmas shopping trips, I have noticed quite a few babies out there these days! Young mothers that are trying to get through the grocery store with a fussy baby or demanding toddler and I think, "Wow, I am glad I don't have babies anymore!" But yesterday in the grocery store I realized it doesn't matter what age your child is, parenting is hard!
Someone said that when you become a parent your heart lives outside of your body. So very true. And when they are young, YOU are responsible for their comfort, health, decisions, education, happiness, etc. You get through the sleepless nights and the rushed mornings, the soccer games, football games, band practice schedules and all the other things that go along with raising a child thinking, "This is going to get easier!"
Here's the thing...it doesn't. Because when your children grow up, you don't get your heart back. It always lives with them. Only now, the problems get bigger. You feel every success and every failure. As they move into adulthood you want to protect them from bad choices, but you can't. You can no longer hold their hand to make sure they don't fall when they are learning to walk. You have to let them walk out into the world without you, and you have to watch them fall. And it will break your heart. But you also get to watch them grow into the people you prayed to God they would become.
The interesting perspective I get to have, at the age of 54, is that I now understand that my mothers heart is still with me! And I see her feel all my pain, all my joy, all my frustration...but don't worry mom, your heart is safe with me.
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