After spending the last day of the holiday vacation with my daughter and her little ones, I was riding home and listening to the radio. There was a conversation on a radio talk show about finding the Divine in the Mundane and that Love is in the Details. All the way home….I kept thinking how it applied to mothers everywhere. It made such an impression, that when I returned home, I wrote my beautiful daughter an email to tell her my thoughts.
I told her that when are mothering our children…there are days that it seems we just don’t have enough time for a minute to ourselves. And we don’t really feel anyone notices or appreciates all that we do for them. It even feels as if it is ‘expected’ sometimes.
But as I thought of the radio show and how they were talking about the topic of finding Divinity in the Mundane and that Love is in the Details….I knew that all those times I was feeling unappreciated….I was wrong. My daughter Tracey tells me all the time how she has such warm and fuzzy memories of the different holidays that I tried to make special for her and her brother and sister. There were some lean times for some of the occasions….but there was lots and lots of love and that is what she is remembering. I bet she could only tell you a very few gifts that I worried over to get her….but she does remember the ‘feeling’ that she had on those very special times. I read somewhere recently that it isn’t about the presents….it’s about the presence. And that, my friends, is ab-so-toot-ly the honest to goodness truth of the matter.
I told my daughter that on those times she feels depleted from getting up at the crack of dawn….just so she could run (that’s her exercise of choice….and her therapy too I imagine) because that is the only time she can carve out of the day to take some Mommy-time….and that getting her daughter up for school, making the lunch, taking her to school, spending time with Brandon while Samantha is at school….picking up Samantha….going to the park or to a play-date so the little bundles of energy will be ready for an afternoon nap and she just might get to answer some emails or pay some bills…..then prepare dinner for everyone, clean up and then tuck them in at night…and hopefully have enough spark left over to spend on her wonderful husband….that…it is those times that will really be appreciated....some day. It may not seem as if anyone is noticing…but take a Gommys’ word for it…THEY ARE. If Mommy or Daddy were not around to do all those things….that wonderful life those little ones ‘expect’ every day….would not be very wonderful any longer.
And one day….when the little ones have little ones of their own….they will tell Mommy and Daddy just how much they did appreciate all they did for them. All the vacations they went on that they now realize were for the enjoyment of the children….when Mom and Dad could very well have gone on some exotic adult get away alone. All the considerations they made of making sure the children were getting the proper education. The nights they stayed up because they were sick. All the million little ‘mundane’ things Moms and Dads do every, single day for their family. Those 'mundane' things are the things made of love...and love IS in the details.
So, Moms and Dads out there…..just know that what you are doing IS appreciated. You just won’t be told for a few years. But it’s coming…I promise you….it’s coming. You do matter and what you do is appreciated. And remember….Love IS in the details and never forget to look for the Divine in the Mundane. It’s there….look for it and you will see it. Gommy is pulling for ya’. Hugs & Mush - Gommy
