The Walls of Mothering
This photo was taken on a roadtrip we took to Nashville a while back at our AirBnB. It is one of my favorite photos I've ever taken! It reminds me of that adventure while simultaneously making me feel right at home.
"Being whole and simultaneously part of a larger whole,
I stood at the bottom of the staircase holding my second and final cup of morning coffee.
The Moment of Truth. This is what I call it when it's time to wake the kids up. What cards would be dealt today? More importantly, how would I respond?
I became captivated by the chipped paint on the trim above the second step. The dirt that had accumulated in the place where the wall meets the nicked up woodwork from the heavy traffic this family staircase endures daily. The fluff ball of golden retriever fuzz caught my eye next.
I really need to fix this chipped paint.
Wipe the wall down.
Paint it over while I'm at it.
Vacuum steps.
Groom dog.
I began to form the inevitable to-do list of never-ending tasks.
But wait. Nope. An invitation to notice, adjust.
Deep breath.
I chose a different path and altered course.
Wow these marks are evident of a full life. A house of hustle and bustle. A family of messy happenings.
Like that, the walls of mothering went from pushing me in to lifting me up as I leaned on the chipped woodwork and took another sip of my coffee.
And just like that, I changed the world.