Warning: this post is everywhere! Going down trails of my mind. Arriving at a good place, nonetheless. Keep with me!! 🙂
The best way to learn is to become a teacher. 
Or in some cases, being what you’re trying to teach. You know, like being a parent makes us better children. Of course you need an open mind, a willing heart, and a desire to be better. Take Mother’s Day for example. It was my first that all my children didn’t wake up in their beds, ready to greet me in the morning, give me a peck, shout the “Happy Mother’s Day, why can’t we have a kid’s day”, and then we move along to the cards and gifts their dad bought. No, I had two of my oldest not home. Which wasn’t a big deal. We knew the day would come. But by 4pm of not receiving a call, I begin to wonder…to check Life 360 (are they alive?). Why aren’t they calling? 
It’s not as though they are spending time with the mother of their own children. No, certainly. They don’t have children. Only girlfriends. Who perhaps haven’t called their mothers either. Then comes the self judging….have I been a good mother? Have they only gone along with the ritual each year because their father offers them something in return? “Go and kiss your mother and hand her this gift I made this morning for her in your handwriting, and I’ll take you to the playground later.”
Maybe all these years of trying has been for naught. I’ve actually missed the mark. Driven them crazy with little snippets of my wisdom about wearing coats or they will regret it when the sun goes down. Take the suntan lotion because the sun’s rays are cancer beams. 
Then my mind goes to awareness. I did alert them Friday. Is there reason why they don’t see all the Instagram feeds of other well-minded children wishing their mothers a happy day?
The day and the very delayed reaction to mother’s day taught me this…don’t judge yourself based on someone else’s actions or inactions. Of course I don’t let my mother wait any time before I’m texting, calling, or going next door to give her a hug and show gratitude for all she’s done. But maybe it’s because I do all of it, too. I see the sacrifices, the time, the effort, the nights she sits up waiting for me to get home. (Yes, she still does!) Maybe it just hasn’t happened for those children yet. I’m not sure. But not taking it personally is something I’m working on. Isn’t that one of the four agreements? “Don’t take it personal.” Makes sense to me!
So, all the mother’s out there that are coming to a time where your kids don’t wake up in the same house and it takes all day for them to call….it’s okay. I see you. You did a good job! And if you did it for them, then acknowledgement is only secondary for the reason it was done in the first place! Become a better child, not a better parent whiner. See, good things come out of iffy situations. I’ve talked it out now and it’s all good!!
Have a great week, readers!! You are appreciated. And for the record…my kids finally reached out after their father nudged them. Both said they were going to. One actually had sent me an email with a couple free lattes attached. Of course I made no attempt to open this email, as it appeared fishy. And the other child waited until nightfall to come home with flowers. He was unaware all I wanted was a call to hear his voice. 🙂
