Wow!

Today I am grateful for my son Sam and the joy he brings. I am also grateful for what he teaches me about life and being a parent.

I was thinking about Anne Lamott's third essential prayer-"Wow!"-and Sam came quickly to my mind. Giving birth to him was a major WOW! I loved being pregnant and his birth was pretty smooth. Contractions and that final urge to push. Amazing stuff! I wrote about baby Sam in my "Nuzzle" post from December. Read it here.

I get mixed emotions when each birthday arrives for Sam. His 11th is coming up. Bittersweet comes to mind. I love that he is growing up healthy and happy and doing well. But I miss each phase he has already been through. I know the next years will become challenging in new ways, but I look forward to the young man he will become. One of my regular "thank yous" is for his healthy growth and development.

I think "Wow!" when I think about even having a child. I was 33 when I got married and 36 when we had Sam. I wasn't sure what life held for me, but I am so very grateful that motherhood was in the works. It gets too easy to take our children for granted. I try not to do that. I hug him daily. (Though I know he is hitting a period he may resist those more). I tell him I love him often. I still tuck him in at night.(I know those days are numbered too.)

I think "Wow!" when I think of the depth of love a parent has for a child. Anne Lamott's son shares my son's name. Many of her books have wonderful anecdotes of her son's life, beginning with Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year. It is a great example of how this author can take you through the range of human emotions in such a way that you know you are not alone.

On p. 71 of her book, Lamott says "Wow" means we are not dulled to wonder.

Children are full of wonder and wonderful. Where do we lose that sense of wonder? Why?
Can gratitude help keep the wonder alive? I think so.


Comments