My goodness children can be exhausting.
This will come as no news to those of you with children of your own, as I’m sure you are well aware of the self deprivation required to keep their every desire satiated & their little hearts beating. It’s incredible how children become instantly deaf when requested to perform tasks such as showering, cleaning, or getting into the bed. Yet, what is even more incredible is their ability to dissipate your fury with one flash of a gleaming smile or an innocent tug of your hand. Kids sure are tricky.
This leads me to the revelation I experienced a few nights ago. After a long afternoon of endless running, jumping, & piggy back rides, it was finally time for the kids to settle into bed. The simple tasks of dinner & showering quickly escalated to an epic battle between good &evil. As the night wore on & dissention grew, my head began to pound bringing me to my wits end. Then somewhere in between yelling, for the 37th time, “LIGHTS OUTS!!!” & nearly jumping out the window, I was struck with the most peculiar thought. In fact, I can actually pin point the exact moment when my heart turned a sharp 180. One moment I was shouting “IF YOU DON’T GET IN BED RIGHT NOW YOU WILL NOT GET A GOODNIGHT HUG & KISS, I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING” & the next I was standing speechless wishing I could activate an automatic word retract ion mechanism erasing their minds of my foolish utterances. My regret sank in as I looked down on each of their delicate little bodies staring up at me while I stood processing the heartbreaking reality of their world. These ornery, rowdy, & seemingly uncontrollable imps were, in actuality, pure, gentle, & genuine children of God merely starved for attention. Starved for the love that they’ve never received or that they once had, but is now lost at the bottle of an empty beer bottle. They are starved for the nurturing spirit of a mother & the invincible essence of a father. They crave the comfort & the normalcy of family, the security of knowing you belong somewhere in this big world. These beautiful children only act out because they are passionate, joyful beings who’ve had limited rearing & guidance. So how could I, perhaps the only person, at the moment, in a position to show them love, deny them a gift that has so freely been given to me.
