The truth is that motherhood makes you cry. The crying begins with tears of joy when you find out you’re going to have a baby. From that point on, the tears come for different reasons because every pregnancy and every motherhood journey has it’s own joys and sorrows.
The crying doesn’t end when your baby is born though, it really has only just begun. You’ll find yourself crying again when they take their first steps, on their first day of school and many other joyous occasions.
But, what about the moments when motherhood makes you cry and it isn’t a joyful time? Sometimes motherhood makes you cry for all the wrong reasons. Tears in motherhood aren’t always tears of joy.
Words get said that shouldn’t have been spoken and they cut like a knife, straight to the heart. Many…no countless times. You find yourself praying, asking God for help in how to deal with the hurt, all the while knowing that your little one has to allow God to work in them, just as He has to wait to work in you. And you realize how hard waiting truly is and understand a little bit how God must feel waiting on you.
Presents get purchased for others in celebration of their motherhood and you know that there is no allowance left for your gift. You take time to be grateful that your child was thoughtful and bought something for her. But, once again motherhood makes you cry, this time because your gift was forgotten. You tell yourself that Mother’s Day isn’t about getting gifts, that it’s about the little blessings you hold dear each day, but it still hurts.
You strive to let go of the pain behind these tears, because you know that you can’t live in full joy when your heart is broken from hurtful words and forgotten gifts. You long to let go, you just don’t know how and sometimes you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. You wonder if this will end…ever?
Stopping to think of other mothers who might be in the same boat, (silently hoping that you’re not in this boat alone, but feeling guilty for “hoping” someone else feels this pain too), you whisper a silent prayer of strength for them this Mother’s Day. That they would remember all of the good things and times this one day each year. That laughter, smiles, hugs and fun times would be what rings in their heart. You pray that just for a day, they could forget that motherhood makes you cry…for the wrong reasons sometimes.
The truth is, tears are a part of each motherhood journey. So cry, moms, no matter what the reason. Whether in joy or in pain, tears are good for the soul. In joy they bring laughter and in sorrow they bring about healing eventually…even though the scars will not go away.
Know that no matter where you are, you are not alone crying on Mother’s Day and that I am praying for you…because motherhood makes you cry.