Motherhood

This Mother's Day, I'm working with Clever Girls in support of Macy's Heart of Haiti to shine a light on the "trade, not aid" program, which provides sustainable income to Haitian artisans struggling to rebuild their lives and support their families after the 2010 earthquake.

Motherhood, when you think about it, it pretty absurd. I don't know of any other job out there where someone is just thrown in and given such responsibility without anyone checking for qualifications, or an interview, or even a probationary 6 month trial to see if you're up to par. In terms of preparation, mothers get 9 months of anticipation.

I often wonder how I am so equipped to be a mom (hopefully a good mom) to my son. Before holding him for the first time, I'd had very little experience with newborns, very little patience with toddlers, and very little care for kids. And yet, the moment I met him, my son, I was equipped. Not with knowledge -- most days I feel like I know nothing in regards to parenting. No, I was equipped with the desire, an overpowering conviction to be the absolute best for him.

Being a mother means taking one day at a time, learning and growing right alongside your child. It doesn't mean being perfect, it doesn't mean having it all figured out. It's simply loving your child with all your heart, working minute-by-minute to give him what he needs, and sometimes, even what he wants. It's trusting yourself to do what you know what is right for your family. It's about grace and humility and finding the strength to admit when you're wrong and the courage to ask for forgiveness.

When I think about the "supermoms" in my life, I realize they're in the same boat as I am -- they're just a bit more polished. I think of my own mom, who spent the majority of my childhood as a single mother, working hard to support us, asking for help when she needed it, and never failing to give me what I needed while struggling to find a way to give me what I wanted. When I think back to being a kid, the one thing I can say for certain is I was loved. She made sure of that. Did she do things perfectly? No, of course not. She made mistakes, like all mamas do, but she was a good mother.

I often daydream about who my son will be when he grows older. I wonder what kind of memories he'll have? Will he look back on his childhood and smile? Will he think of me and know, without question, that he was loved and so very wanted? Will he be able to look back and see how his character was stregthened and his faith was developed? Will he be equipped to love others? If he does, well, I think I can count that as a success.

Thank you to Macy's Heart of Haiti for sponsoring my participation in this “Share Your Heart" promotion. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.