The Joys and Heartaches of Loving a Son

Older women are always telling younger women,

"Enjoy these years while your children are young, they go by too fast."

It's true, they do go by very quickly. But it's not merely a passage of time that you passively watch fly past you. You don't get to sit peacefully on the bank of a river sipping coffee while watching the flow of life slide by. You're in the middle of it, you're in the river, floating along dreamily or, more often than you like, crashing into rocks during a stretch of rapids. Sometimes you soak it in and enjoy the ride and sometimes you hang on for dear life not knowing what's around the next bend.

Somewhere in the river of motherhood your children branch off and form rivers of their own, leaving your own turbulent torrent noticeably calmer, slower, and slightly melancholy. This is where those older women are coming from. Their steams have slowed and the water level has dropped. They want you to appreciate the swell of love that comes with the rising tide. The rapids and quick, unexpected turns of your river are signs of life, and life is good. The time will come when that will slow down; but slow, idle waters can grow stagnant and stale. Life and vitality are desirable, even if the unchartered waters are difficult or frightening.

Mine and Shane's mother-son wedding dance tells the story of our journey. But, I've added a photo montage of sorts to it to try to help tell the story with more than just words. As you look into the faces of your own precious little boys, try not to get overwhelmed with the force of the current. Ride it out with them and be strong. Ride with them to the place where you lose a piece of your heart while they turn away to fill theirs.

It's worth it.