I know that when little ones act up and out that they need more --
More love
More attention
More patience
More time --
More.
More from me.
But I've been driving around this block for weeks on end, and the gas light is on and the kids are still screaming in the background and the radio is blaring and there's so much noise in this proverbial car and in my not-so proverbial head that I just can't isolate anything to turn it off for long enough to realize
that I've got to stop for gas, like, ten miles ago.
Because that last fill up for how long I've been driving
can't last for as long as I've been going.
I need an off ramp
with an Oasis
to refuel so much more often
now that the load is filled with
growing boy bodies
growing hearts
growing lessons
and growing miles to trek.
And sometimes, I guess, we just have to put it in park
and watch the sun rise and set*
remembering we didn't have to push the pedal a little further to the metal
for either to happen.
*Super huge thanks to Corinne for reminding me of this awesome truth.
I found the refueling got more and more challenging as they got older - with the young ones, so much of it was physical refueling...the older they got, the more I felt the need to deeply recharge emotionally. To be aware. Ready. And spiritually connected to God, my husband and to close friends who were fellow journey-moms! I don't think that it can be said enough....ministering to ourselves is so very vital to our ability to parent with our whole hearts!
ReplyDeleteI was wide awake this morning by 3:45 trying to figure out whether my adult child needed "more" (or perhaps less) from me. Later I will be dragging my tail and still have a list a mile long of things that need to be done today. I wish my off ramp would take me straight to a travel center where I could load up on wisdom and a gentle tongue and find a place where I could catch a bit of peaceful shut eye before continuing on the journey.
ReplyDeleteWonderful metaphor. Twenty years down the road from where you are as you write this the metaphor is still apt.
Oh, this: "And sometimes, I guess, we just have to put it in park and watch the sun rise and set" So good and so true. Thank you for this lovely reminder, friend.
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