Mother love
"This is what Caleb needs," my son Daniel said as he pointed to a quote from the little notebook he bought at a thrift store that day a few years ago:
Mother love carries a child that will most likely die.
Mother love sees beauty in the presence of multiple abnormalities.
"Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible."
"And what is the impossible for Caleb?" I asked.
"Walk, talk, see."
Just as my son, at first sight I took this to mean that my love could help his disabled brother do the impossible, as if by magic, it could suddenly transform me into a modern-day Jesus who could make his brother walk, talk, and see.
That is not, obviously, what Marion C. Garretty meant when she wrote these words, but Daniel got something right---Mother love is powerful.
Mother love empowers mothers. It enables us to do what is seemingly impossible, which in a mother's day-to-day could simply mean getting up for the third time in the middle of the night. Mother love helps mothers with the simple things of life, but it also sustains us and makes us push forward full-force for the sake of our children when adversity strikes.
"I don't know how you do it," people often tell me about my chronic lack of sleep---Mother love.
"I don't think I could bear what you are going through," one of my coworkers confessed when it seemed like Caleb could die any minute---Mother love.
Mother love carries a child that will most likely die.
Mother love sees beauty in the presence of multiple abnormalities.
Mother love endures seeing her child go through chemotherapy.
Mother love learns to change a trach.
Mother love bags her child to help him breathe.
Mother love operates more than one piece of medical equipment.
Mother love carries her child even if he weighs 70 pounds.
Mother love gives CPR.
Mother love speaks medical lingo.
Mother love celebrates milestones.
Mother love is OK with no milestones.
Mother love loves her healthy, bright child.
Mother love loves the profoundly delayed.
Mother love accepts.
Mother love rebels.
Mother love makes difficult decisions.
Mother love chooses aggressive interventions.
Mother love chooses comfort care.
Mother love fights to keep her child alive.
Mother love lets him go when it is time.
The list goes on and on about all Mother love can do. You were right, my son: Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. I am that normal human being. My love cannot make your brother walk, talk or see, but it will help me be there for him. And, in the end, Mother love will help transform his life into the best that it can be.
Mother love learns to change a trach.
Mother love bags her child to help him breathe.
Mother love operates more than one piece of medical equipment.
Mother love carries her child even if he weighs 70 pounds.
Mother love gives CPR.
Mother love speaks medical lingo.
Mother love celebrates milestones.
Mother love is OK with no milestones.
Mother love loves her healthy, bright child.
Mother love loves the profoundly delayed.
Mother love accepts.
Mother love rebels.
Mother love makes difficult decisions.
Mother love chooses aggressive interventions.
Mother love chooses comfort care.
Mother love fights to keep her child alive.
Mother love lets him go when it is time.
The list goes on and on about all Mother love can do. You were right, my son: Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. I am that normal human being. My love cannot make your brother walk, talk or see, but it will help me be there for him. And, in the end, Mother love will help transform his life into the best that it can be.
Comments
Post a Comment