What is motherhood? One single definition would never be enough.
Motherhood is patience. For many, the waiting game starts early. We anxiously anticipate the positive pregnancy test, the adoption call, the first glimpse of our baby’s face. The early baby days stretch our patience muscles, with the toddler years bringing the skill to a whole new level.
When our kids grow older, patience merges with hope as they begin to forge their own trails. Our hearts in our throats, we watch our babies experience life for themselves and inevitably stumble along the way. We coach from the sidelines hoping that we’re saying the right things, instilling the right values, and intervening at the right times.
In the midst of all this hoping, we discover that being a mom is a messy, messy job. We scrape food from floors, wipe noses with our sleeves, and navigate labyrinths of toys. We quickly realize that discerning what is best for our children is rarely straightforward and watch our paradigms shift as we face frustrations, insecurities and doubts.
But it’s as we confront the uncertainties of motherhood that we become inspired. Seeing the world through our children’s eyes, we rediscover the joys of life – and its opportunities. Our kids motivate us to face fears, tackle challenges, pursue dreams and push ourselves to unimagined depths. We strive to become the best versions of ourselves with the hope that we’ll inspire our kids to do the same.
It’s the day-to-day perseverance of motherhood that teaches us to trust ourselves. We learn to listen to the nagging thoughts and gut feelings. Intuition teaches us to trust our innate responses even when they defy logic. We find our strength in leaning into our calling as moms, trusting that we are uniquely qualified to be the mom our kids need.
But more than anything, motherhood is joy. Despite the struggles and frustrations, motherhood helps us discover purpose and meaning bigger than ourselves. It shows us the beauty of ordinary mornings, extraordinary milestones and everything in between. But the greatest joy comes from seeing the beauty of who our children are unfold before us.
