grace & growth
October 25, 2016 § 3 Comments
It’s been a week of ups and downs, watching my children grind through the mechanics of personal struggles. Some common to their age, others unique to their personalities. The only universal space between their discomfort was my reaction, the language I used to acknowledge their emotions.
I’m working to listen through the urge to guide, offering empathy over direction. In trading the wisdom of my experiences for serving as a witness to my children’s challenges, they’ve gained greater authority and accountability for their mistakes as well as their success. They are growing up and this task of mothering is no less difficult for their independence.
There’s grace in the growing.
scribblechic 
I often watch their challenges and think–were mine this persistent? Did they worry my parents half as much? 🙂
It’s a strange phenomenon. We are witnesses sharing second hand experiences in first person angst. I am exhausted holding myself still.
Oh, but your questions! “Were my challenges this persistent? Did they worry my parents half as much?” There’s so much love in those wonderings.
Oh, you nailed it! Sharing secondhand experiences but first person angst. That is exactly it.