Skip to main content

Diving In

Image
By
I observed a tender moment with a friend while visiting her 97 year old mother.  Her mom said, “Oh I just love you so much, I just want to take a piece of you and keep you with me.”  A sweet hug and laughter followed.  I shared that sweet sentiment today with my daughter.  She is standing on the edge, waiting to take a big dive into her life, and I’m thrilled for her.  The only difference is that when I shared that statement with her, I cried.  They were selfish tears that only a mother’s heart knows and I didn’t apologize for them, because they were too raw and much too real.  Of course I’m thrilled that my girl is following her dream and I wouldn’t want it any other way.  But a heart ache is just a thought away sometimes, so I had to admit that I was being selfish.  I think she might have choked back some tears herself when she explained that she’ll only be thirteen hours away.  Ok, reality check…hmmm, she is not in another country.  That’s good.  She’ll be living somewhere safe, that’s good too.  What else can I think of to make me feel better?  Right now, I got nothin’.   The truth is that I can’t just keep a little piece of her to myself, or can I?  When she rejoices, I will rejoice with her.  When she is across the miles needing support, I have a feeling she might give me a jingle.  I have a favorite saying, and I can see her repeating it to me….I need to put my big girl pants on and dive in right with her.

         Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep…
                                                                                                                                     Romans 12:15
Me and Dana during a summer visit
A stone shaped heart on the gravel drive


Comments

  1. LauraJanuary 20, 2013 at 7:03 AM

    Oh Re...what a special time each mother goes through something like this, it natural but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt..Great job on your part and isn't it wonderful to see what beauty is sent now out into the world to continue...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What does your "cookbook" look like?

By
My Betty Crocker cookbook is a wreck. It was given to me as a bridal shower gift in 1979, and I have treasured it ever since. Over forty years later, it remains a prized possession. It has been my cooking guidebook, truly important when you’ve grown up feasting on a mainly southern Italian diet, (no complaints here) which included a lot of pasta and meatballs. Yes, our meals had variety, but gravy was simmering at my house just about every other day. The traditional, and now collectable Betty Crocker cookbook became my best friend in the kitchen. Today, it has all the signs of being used and maybe a little abused. The pages are weathered, written on, and stained. The covers are loose, no longer held in place by the familiar spiral binding. The only thing keeping it together is an oversized, stretchy band. I’ve collected other cookbooks over the years, but this one has been my go-to manual. In it, I discovered new recipes, tried making things I had never heard of, and was thrilled
2 comments
Read more

What I learned in March

By
Another day of snow.  The amount we'd been getting was absurd.  But this one particular day, there was an amazing snowfall.  Even though I really, really wanted to complain, I just couldn't.  It was way to beautiful.  As I drove to work, I looked at the trees along my route.  Each covered perfectly with a velvety ribbon of white.  Just amazing.  How could I possibly complain?  So as I drove, I took it all in.  Any other day, maybe the snow would not have received such a welcome, but this day, it did.  I decided to celebrate instead of complain.  So what happened?  Well, my disposition changed.  Since then, I focused on a simple prayer.  Lord, change me.  Three little words.  Because when it comes down to it, the driver for my mood is my attitude, my perspective, my thinking...all of it.  Learning and saying these three little words was a huge graduation for me.  It gave me a sense of peace and relief.  That is, until I learned a new way to pray just last week.  During a sm
3 comments
Read more

Baby steps to Big Girl Dreams

By
My heart was racing.  I had a tug inside of me to make a call to the local community college to inquire about teaching a continuing education class.  I had always had a desire to teach, and the bubbly stir inside of me kept pushing me to act.  My only problem was that  the conversation in my head made me want to run and hide.  But the stir was so very strong.  I had to do something.  And then I remembered a teaching I had just heard by Joyce Meyer.  She spoke about fear and how it can grip your life.   Her solution was simple.  She said, "Whatever you need to do, do it afraid."   A light blub moment !   Her words interrupted that internal conversation, and pushed me to make a choice and shift my thinking.  I marched to the phone....afraid....and made the call to the college.  I asked if they were in need of instructors and before I knew it,  one thing led to another.  By the end of the call, I had an interview lined up and a request to submit a curriculum for a new class
4 comments
Read more