My (early) Mother’s Day present – the best gift ever
My ten-year-old walks through the front door, a smile on his face. “I wrote you a poem at school today, Mom,” he says proudly.
“You did?” I smile.
“Yeah. For Mother’s Day. But I want to read it to you now, okay?” He drops his backpack on the floor and digs out a piece of paper.
He sits at the bottom of the stairs. “Ready?”
I almost tell him I want to save the poem for Mother’s Day, but I can tell how excited he is about what he wrote.
So instead, I sit down next to him. “Ready,” I say.
He reads…
Mom, you feed me and hug me and love me all day.
When I do something wrong, you say it’s okay.
You say it’s okay almost every day.
That’s how I know you love me today.
You’re sweet and nice
and you taught me about Christ.
I can’t ask for anything more,
so thank you for the stuff you’ve done before.
You treat me like a king.
And when my alarm goes ding
and I go downstairs
I don’t have to guess, you’re always there.
So I thank you for what you have done for me
from down in the dirt to high in the trees
and every day you remind me
that you love me.
I put my arm around him and squeeze his shoulder, tight. “I love that,” I say, my voice catching in my throat. His words touch something deep inside me. I blink back tears.
As a mom, I know how I want to parent. I know how I want my kids to feel, and I know the things I want to teach them. But I don’t always know if I’m being successful.
I make mistakes,
and I’m learning as I go.
But then I hear something like my son’s poem and I’m reminded of the grace of parenting.
I’m reminded what it means to leave a legacy,
reminded of the power of the little things we say and do.
Reminded.
Memories…
Me as a child, never wanting to make mistakes. Always wanting to please, to be liked, to be perfect. And then growing up, messing up, covering up.
But keeping mistakes to yourself only gives them power. And how much better it is to be vulnerable and real and honest and free.
So to hear my son say he knows it’s okay if he makes mistakes (because we all do),
and to hear him say I’ve taught him about Christ (because no matter what life brings, faith is a foundation that never fails)…
well,
that’s the best Mother’s Day gift ever.
The best. :)
————-
My list of things I’m thankful for, continued…
25. mistakes
26. beginnings
27. family
28. motherhood
29. motherhood
30. motherhood
I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! What are your plans? I’d love to hear about them! My mom is coming into town for the weekend and we are going to a mother / daughter tea with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and of course my sweet girl (who is now so tall at 12 years old that she is almost eye to eye with me!). I can’t wait! I’ll try to share pictures of the tea next week. :)
Oh, Genny, what an absolutely priceless gift! It made me teary-eyed reading those words. You have quite the poet there. His words are so beautiful and so heartfelt. SO happy for you.Happy Mother's Day!
I agree. Best Mother's Day gift ever. Wonderful!
Oh Genny, I started crying before I got to the third line. Those type of gifts, those words from our kids are so very precious. It reminds me of something my own 21 yr old son said to me the other day that made me cry. Sometimes Motherhood is just too much for me to bear, in they way of memories and love…it is overflowing.Happy Mother's Day.
That is a wonderful gift!
That is the perfect mother's day gift! My very first post was my son's mother's day poem he did at school – it made me tear up, too!Your son did a beautifully awesome job!
What a talented little poet or song writer you have there. It has sort of a rap rhythm…did you hear that too? Anyway, Happy Mother's Day to you, my friend. Have a splendid time with your mom.
What a perfect gift! Tonight I am joining with some girlfriends and our daughters to watch the Royal Wedding. We haven't seen it yet. Then tomorrow night my hubby is grilling me up a yummy shrimp dinner. And hopefully no housework for 24 hours! Happy Mother's Day!
I can't think of a better mother's day than that heartfelt, sweet poem. Maybe your son has gotten a bit of your writer gene? Visiting from SITS again :)
What a beautiful post! I don't have any kids, but I'd hope that if I did, they'd say such beautiful things about me. You're a lucky Mama!