As mothers we believe we’re only supposed to do something for ourselves after we’ve covered off and taken care of everybody else. Right?
What happens with that line of thinking is that our dreams and talents often get lost in the shuffle because they’re in last place. So here…right now let’s move them into first. It’s our turn! We encourage our kids to courageously follow their dreams, and find happiness and fulfilment. It’s not only time to walk our talk but create a proud legacy that will live long after us.
I lost my beautiful Mom to Alzheimer’s 10 years ago. I think about her every day as she faithfully watches over me from her framed perch on my desk. She was a wonderful mother. When I was little she would happily tea party with me for hours, when I was older she (the listener) had unlimited time for me (the talker). My Mom made herself small to make my Dad and myself big. She was a one woman support team, unquestionably faithful and always ready to serve. I don’t know what her dreams were other than unrelentingly loving and supporting us. I wish I’d talked less and encouraged her to talk more. I wonder about her dreams. What were they? What was in her heart other than loving and caring for us?
I recently asked a friend how she thinks she would have felt if her mom had done less for her and her sister and more for herself. This is what she said, “One of the greatest pains in my life is knowing that my mother, because of us (2 sisters and dad) was less than she could have been. I can think of no greater gift she could have given us than to have been a full complete and happy person because if she had then I would have had a much easier time finding the full and happy person within myself.”
Maybe our greatest gift to those we love is to continue growing and becoming, to create a legacy of great love and of having the courage to follow a dream. To put ourselves first so that we can become all we can be.
These are the lives that inspire for generations.
reACTION [to change in the response to stimulus]: Day 29 – legacy
What will your legacy to be?
Yes, as mothers we do seem to loose ourselves, we do become second to our children. I believe we feel that this is in the best interest of our kids, but is it? If we allow ourselves to shine, we are giving the greatest gift to our children, the gift of “freedom”, freedom to be all that they can be.