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I
remember reading somewhere, way
back when my children were quite
young, that a mother who
peeks-in to check on her
sleeping child at the end of a
very busy day might appreciate
how it may have been for God to
reach the eve of the sixth day
of creation. Parents of young
children, gazing upon them as
they peacefully sleep after a
hectic day, might right then and
there respect how God may have
felt at the end of the sixth
day, after all that hard work,
as God gazed upon his creation
and smiled; for, “behold it was
very good”.
I
stand along with other parents,
who after so many days and
months and years of 24/7 hard
work, now watch their children
graduate- not only a graduation
from High School, or college,
but the daily graduation into a
huge world, one step at a time.
They will triumph and they will
fail. And we will love them. We
smile, perhaps wondering, “how
in the world did the time go by
so fast?” We shed our own
tears. We clap and cheer them
on, praying that they will take
the wings we have spent years to
build, and now soar on their
own, across the horizon into
their own journeys. For me, it
is somewhat of a “sixth day”
experience to see my daughter
drive-off to work, just as much
as it is to see her receive a
diploma and enroll in her first
semester of college. It is a
“sixth day” experience to see
her walk through the front door
and notice how she laughs easily
and freely, how her eyes tear
when she is frustrated by the
marathons of this life, how she
perseveres with her own courage,
facing ahead into this life. I
pray that I have taught her
faith in the Holy One who makes
each new day and welcomes her
into it, and brings it to a
close when it is time. I
watch, I pray, I notice and I
thank God, “for behold it is
very good”.
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All those bedtime stories, band
–aided knees and elbows, bicycle
rides, baseball and basketball
games, middle school social
drama and its exasperations,
piano lessons, and hours of math
homework which we have shared
and counted as nothing less than
sacred and precious, all these
things have now unfolded into a
new chapter, a new adventure for
our children as they step out
and into their lives in new
ways. Forever, they shall own
our hearts. And we “peek-in”
now, perhaps not so much to see
them peacefully sleep, but more
so to nurture strength of spirit
and foundation of soul. We do
less talking now, more
listening. We fumble at the
cell phone keys to text them
“Luv ya J” and remind to them to
“txt me if u r runing late” so
we won’t worry. We pray and hug
and encourage them to “take
those wings and fly kiddo!”
Whether or not they fly high or
far, may they know they are
loved.
To the Almighty One who made us
all, including each Mother and
Father’s heart and blessed us
with the gift of these children,
to you God, I pray, “Thank you
for our children! Each sacred
privilege of parenthood is very
good!” Behold, it is very good
indeed.
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