When I was Maddi's age, I remember having growing pains . . .
something fierce. I would always feel them in my legs at night as I was trying to fall asleep. Their persistent, dull ache made me cry. A lot of times I would call my Mom for help and she would give me some pain reliever and rub them and gently tell me everything was okay.
"You're growing," she would say.
"Is that a good thing?" I would ask not sure if the pain was worth it and she would respond with, "Yes. It's worth it. You don't want to be little forever, do you? You are going to grow up and you'll get to be a mom too."
And that was all I needed to hear.
Now, I'm the Mom.
My legs don't ache from growing pains anymore.
Mostly, it's my heart
or my spirit.
No sympathy.
No pity.
Just an explanation why I have been so quiet.
I'm growing.
Reshaping.
Learning.
Feeling.
Becoming.
"Yea, it is the love of God,
which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
And he spake unto me, saying;
Yea, and the most joyous to the soul."
1 Nephi 11:22-23
Maddi comes into my room at night now. She is usually crying when she tells me that her legs ache. As I snuggle her, I rub her legs and tell her,
I know everything is going to be alright.
something fierce. I would always feel them in my legs at night as I was trying to fall asleep. Their persistent, dull ache made me cry. A lot of times I would call my Mom for help and she would give me some pain reliever and rub them and gently tell me everything was okay.
"You're growing," she would say.
"Is that a good thing?" I would ask not sure if the pain was worth it and she would respond with, "Yes. It's worth it. You don't want to be little forever, do you? You are going to grow up and you'll get to be a mom too."
And that was all I needed to hear.
Now, I'm the Mom.
My legs don't ache from growing pains anymore.
Mostly, it's my heart
or my spirit.
No sympathy.
No pity.
Just an explanation why I have been so quiet.
I'm growing.
Reshaping.
Learning.
Feeling.
Becoming.
"Yea, it is the love of God,
which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
And he spake unto me, saying;
Yea, and the most joyous to the soul."
1 Nephi 11:22-23
Maddi comes into my room at night now. She is usually crying when she tells me that her legs ache. As I snuggle her, I rub her legs and tell her,
I know everything is going to be alright.
7 comments:
Nice post Shauna. I know the feeling.
I've been a bit worried by your silence. Glad to hear things are fine. I spend so much time worrying about change and pain...that I have to suffer through it doubly if it actually happens. THAT'S what I need to work on. We're all struggling together really.
Love you.
Should I break into Bob Marley's Three Birds?? Every little thing, it's gonna be alright...
Thanks for listening to my rant today!
Love you, too. :)
all I can say is that regardless if you post a lot or a little I've always enjoyed your amazing ability to draw lessons from life and the gospel and to articulate those human emotions in such a profound way by conecting the two. This has been something that I've always admired about you. Thanks for sharing!
By the way reading your post took me down memory lane as well as I was reminded of those horrible growing pains that I experienced too as a child. Dustin gets them a lot now too.
It's good to hear from you! I know that things are in transition right now. Change is never an easy thing. Hang in there. You are an incredible person--Mother, Sister, Daughter, Friend. We all love you!!
It's hard to be the Mom! I love the scripture you shared - it's definitely one to cling to when those "growing pains" are persistent. We are so blessed to know that we aren't alone and that we are loved. Love ya.
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