Mother Moments
by Connie Sokol
We all have them. In fact, I have often put “Loser” in front of that title to denote how those moments can make me feel.
Several years ago my fifth grade son called me from school about getting hit with the dodge ball at recess. This child had a history of calling about emergency situations such as a sore finger or forgetting his favorite book. So I responded with my typical, “Are you bleeding? Vomiting? In severe pain?” To which he replied, “No.” To which I then rejoined, “You’re just building character.”
A few days later the same child called again, with the same complaint, except that, “it hurt really bad.” I gave my spiel, he gave his spiel. I finished with a rousing, “You’re building character.”
A few days later he called again (why do I keep answering, you may wonder). This time he had smacked into a fence post while playing tag. We exchanged the usual questions with the usual answers and I hung up feeling validated in staying firm, but determined to turn down the ringer volume.
Thankfully, I didn’t. The phone rang a few hours later telling me that my son had been “found on the bathroom floor throwing up”. As I rushed into the school office I saw him, pale as death, with a very possible concussion and the very nice office ladies staring at me in that way.
It was a mother moment.
When was our last mother moment? I say last, because there will be many. One of my friends told me her son was honored at a huge banquet to celebrate athletes who had shown particular excellence.
Wonderful, except that he didn’t tell his mother. He came home from the well-attended event, handed her flowers and earrings provided for the mothers of the feted athletes and said, “You were the only one that wasn’t there.”
How many times have we forgotten treats for the school picnic, the day of a dance rehearsal, or, worst of all, left a child at an event? I feel great comfort in the passages from the New Testament:
“[A]s they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it…And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him” (Luke 2:43-45).
Can we feel a little bit better knowing that such divinely appointed parents such as Mary and Joseph unknowingly left Jesus behind too?
But these Mother Moments are also instructive. They teach us of God’s love and watchful care, despite our best efforts.
Author Connie Sokol Connie Sokol is a mother of seven, a national and local presenter, and a regular speaker at Education Week. She is a monthly contributor on KSL TV “Studio 5,” and regular blogger for KSL "Motherhood Matters." She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications, and columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. Mrs. Sokol is the author of several books including the award-nominated romance Caribbean Crossroads, the 8-week Challenge program of Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, Life is Too Short for One Hair Color Series, as well as talk CDs and podcasts. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats.
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