Honor Thy Mother
Posted in Daniel Dessinger, relationships on 10. May, 2009
If you haven’t yet, take a moment to reflect on the woman who gave you birth. In all her glory. In all her flaws. Picture her in your mind. Do you see her? Good. Now smile, and thank God for placing such a woman on this earth to carry and give birth to little you.
Whether you live with her, miss her, or can’t remember meeting her, God placed a woman on this earth to house and nurture the miracle of life within her body. You were that miracle. She was that safe place. No matter what your story today. She endured for you. She bore you. She allowed herself to be used by God to bring you to earth as though from nothing.
If you are not or have never been a pregnant woman, this may be somewhat more difficult to imagine. But think of it. The raw, sweaty, painful discomfort of it all. The fears. The questions. The concerns. If for no other reasons than these, honor thy mother.
Some of us are grateful. Some are wounded. Some confused. Others resentful. We each have our stories. But we each owe our lives to an amazing woman.
If your life is a bright and happy one, and you are deeply thankful for your mother, you likely won’t need this reminder. But many of us have less than perfect stories. Our lives are riddled with joys and cuts. Wounds and hopes. Hopes deferred and paths chosen. And to each of you, I say, “Honor thy mother.”
Not every woman is endowed with pre-birthing wisdom and insight into how to nurture a child’s heart. Not every woman received the same love and nurture from her parents. We all venture out into that somewhat terrifying world of parenthood with strengths and weaknesses, insights and blindspots.
Remember that the woman who gave you birth likely wished she was more than she was. We all wish for something similar in ourselves. And if you have the opportunity, I beg you to take a step. Forgive. Love. Thank. Pursue.
A woman with regrets may feel her best lot in life is to stay out of the way… to not interfere. Though you might have held out hope way into your adult years that eventually she would discover your heart and cherish you like you always dreamed, she may not believe she deserves another chance. She may feel like a failure. She may hide from the pain of mistakes long forgotten by you and your siblings.
We never know what lurks in the hearts and minds of others. Rather than assume she has withheld, seek her out. Ask her questions. Questions you’d want answered from your best friend. Get to know this woman who gave you life. Find out who she is and cherish her for what you discover. There is always time until there isn’t.
Waste not.
