I feel every minute of the days getting longer.
The longer days mean that the kids and I can still color on our kitchen table with natural light when we get home in the afternoon.
It means drives home where the sun still touches our skin, and that energy travels.
The light brings with it an energy, it’s undeniable.
I can even see it in my house plants. They’re greener, healthier, leaves standing taller to catch all the sun they can, and with that energy, growing.
It see my little loves growing faster with that energy too. Growing beautifully, but growing nonetheless. As a mother, I don’t think that feeling is ever not bittersweet.
I had a moment with each of them individually in the past 24 hours, that were so beautiful I have to document them. In those moments, a maturity in them showed, a wisdom and love so pure in them, that feeling it is a gift I will forever be grateful for.
On Sunday, I had a hard day. It was nearing Oliver’s nap time, so I went to lay down with him, and in the safety of my son’s company, silent tears fell down my cheek. Tears of tiredness, tears of a hard day, tears of simply needing to let something out. I saw my sweet boy look at me with gentle confusion. I must not cry around him very much, and immediately became self conscious that my tears would worry him. My worry immediately washed away as he gathered his sleeve, and gently wiped the tears off my cheek, one at a time. Didn’t say a word, and laid down again once he was done.
Without words, he gave me permission to feel whatever I had to feel, and with a simple action of wiping me tears, let me know that he was there.
These are the actions of a three year old little boy; so wise beyond his years. I teared up again, this time, overcome with how loved he made me feel, but so proud of his empathy, his kindness. I hope he never loses it.
Then earlier today, my moment with Penelope.
Penelope loves drawing, lately it’s dresses and princesses any moment she can. Over the Christmas break we traveled to visit family, and we took coloring books and pencils to keep the kids entertained in the times we weren’t visiting.
One afternoon, as we’re drawing a princess, she asked me to draw her princess a crown, and so I did. Penelope is 4.5 years old, and she’s very particular about the things she likes, and in this case, I didn’t draw the crown exaccctttlly as she wanted it. She got quite upset, told me, “not like that!”, and put the drawing aside to start a new one.
While coloring earlier today, she found the drawing of that princess with the crown she had put away a few weeks ago.
“Mommy, I’m sorry I was angry at you about this drawing when we were in Winnipeg”.
I didn’t know what else to do but hug her and kiss her, my heart overcome with emotion. Witnessing her kindness, her humility. Her acceptance and understanding of a wrong doing, of knowing that perhaps her comment might have been hurtful, and apologizing. It was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve had with her.
The beautiful lessons I learn and witness from them everyday…
… be a silent shoulder to cry on when someone needs it…
… sometimes we act out and make mistakes…
… it’s totally OK to admit we were wrong…
… it’s never too late to apologize when it comes from the heart…
… love is beautiful.