Reflections on Mother's Day

The day after Mother's Day, I was driving to the girls' school to volunteer in Sidney's class. As I approached the turn for the school's driveway, a mother duck and her 10 ducklings were crossing the road. I slowed and watched them for a few seconds. The ducklings waddled right behind the mother the whole way until they reached the curb. The mother stepped right up and continued on her way. The ducklings had a little harder time with the curb, but eventually each one made it over the curb and feel in line behind the mother.

What touched me the most about this experience was the mother duck's glance back at the curb to make sure that all the ducklings made it and had indeed fallen in step behind her once again. She did not stop, she did not go back to help them, she simply looked back and checked on them.

This is the stage of life I am in. I am past the point of holding my children's hands and walking them through every difficult climb. Rather, I am at the point of watching and checking to make sure they are choosing the right and staying on the path.

I love this stage and yet at the same time it scares me. I wonder if I have taught my children enough and pray that I will continue to have more experiences to teach them still. But really, they are on a course and I am a spectator for the most part. I am thrilled at each of their achievements and sad at each of their disappointments. I love Riley, Jamie and Sidney more with each day and promise most of all to always be their biggest cheerleader, best confidant and truest friend.

I am so grateful for the wonderful examples that were set before me. That of my mother, my mother-in-law and my amazing grandmothers. As I watch them in their different stages of life, it give me strength and courage to continue forward.