prayer « maternalmedia

I’ve read various renditions of blogs written by someone older to someone younger. Some are written by parents to their children, while others are written by adults to their younger selves if only they could go back in time and instill advice to avoid the pitfalls of growing up. All give insightful glimpses into lessons learned.

One of the most recent and inspiring that I’ve read is called Letters to All the Beautiful Little Girls – Part 1.

Dream big. Don’t fence yourself in.

I mainly blog at night, once my three kids are settled down to bed and my mind is freed up to think.

Tonight, I won’t promise to solve all their problems. I’ll simply offer up these words of wisdom.

To my daughter:

1. I wish for you the kind of love that Rapunzel finds with Eugene Fitzherbert in Tangled. But, even more than that, I wish for you to know the feeling of loving life.

2. Don’t waste a single breath complaining about your body. The boys and friends who only pay attention to you for it, and not your heart and mind, aren’t worth impressing. I know that is so much easier to preach than to practice. Mom needs a reminder herself every now and then.

3. Learn to love your crazy hair. Consider it an outward symbol of all the wild, rebellious ideas you’ve got floating around in that head of yours.

4. If wearing a dress and matching hair bows is what makes you happy, I’ll do my best to help out. Just know that your mom sucks at fashion and has a hard time understanding why people care so much about what covers their bodies. (On a related note: bras are dumb but you must wear one.)

5. Know that I love telling you that you are my favorite daughter and hearing you say that I am your favorite mom. I realize these words will undoubtedly run away during your hormonal years, but I have faith they will inevitably return.

To my sons:

1. Never underestimate the power of prayer…or deodorant.

2. You have no idea how lucky you are to share a bedroom together. I know it causes you much stress and angst now, but there will be a day when you look up and realize that your loud, obnoxious brother isn’t there. And the silence will be deafening.

3. Don’t fall for the girl who tells or shows you why you should like her. You are both smart. The best things in life are those you have to work for, including the attention of a female.

4. Know that you can remain within boundaries while helping to define them. You will face multiple paths in life. Do what feels right with the knowledge that you won’t choose right every time. Don’t be afraid to fail or you may never fully realize how far you can go.

choose your path wisely

5. When you screw up, seek out your father. When you are lauded for your accomplishments, thank your mom. Kidding…I’ve got your back no matter what.

Created by Heidi Woodard

I don’t even know who I’m writing this post for.

All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about events that took place on Saturday and the 3-month old baby who no longer has a mom or a dad to love and protect her.

If you hadn’t already learned about the series of events, a Kansas City Chiefs linebacker fatally shot his girlfriend in front of his own mom, and then drove to a practice facility parking lot where he shot and killed himself in front of the football team’s coach and general manager.

That’s two lives removed from this earth far too early, who are now more recognized than they ever dreamed possible for entirely the wrong reasons.

I can’t stop thinking about an article my friend shared on Facebook about the short- and long-term effects that traumatic brain injury has on the lives of football players. Game Over is the most thorough and thought provoking piece of sports writing I’ve read this year. It’s hard to discredit the inextricable link between athletes who’ve routinely had their bells rung and the mental aftershock they endure.

It’s hard to accept that my boys want to play football and that they are now old enough to play tackle football like their dad did.

This most recent tragedy makes me think about every person who decides to end their life because of hopelessness, confusion, and mental anguish.

I had an aunt who committed suicide. Without going into much detail, I was very young when she decided that life was too hard to live. I never really knew her. I wished I would have.

I’m confident I know people today who are struggling. Who are too proud or scared to admit how much they hurt.

A fear of mine is that they won’t reach out to someone before they reach for the gun, rope, or pill bottle.

It weighs heavily on my heart that so many hurt so much.

I’ve shared my top three uplifting songs before because I believe so strongly in the influence of music.

I also believe in the power of prayer/reflection and of finding peace in others. I believe that blogging is an outlet for many, including myself, to not only embrace but also to escape from the world in which we live.

Never do I diminish another person’s feelings nor judge a person who wrongly believes there is nothing left in them to give. If you are reading this and suffer a sense of despair, I beg you to consider those in your life who you impact everyday. Do not discredit their need to have YOU in their lives.

“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.” – Jane Addams

We all have something to give to this world, even when that something is unknown to ourselves. Don’t ever give up. You are not alone.

Created by Heidi Woodard

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