Dear mom of teenagers,
You look so put together. You look like you made it through the little years with flying colors, making all the right decisions and raising the perfect children. I look at you and I know that will be me before I know it but I don’t think I’ll make it so gracefully. You carry the weight of teenagers well.
I envy you, mom of teenagers, as your children grab the car keys and drive themselves off to school or to the mall. I’m sure what I don’t see is the fact that you are choking down tears, praying for their safety, holding back the desire to scream, “Stay with me.“
I’m tired. My kids are little and they run around all day and all night. And I’m tired. I look at you and it gives me hope. You must have gone through this too, right? And you survived. I can too!
You tell me how fast it goes and how precious this time is. I see in your eyes the longing to return even though you look at your teenagers with pride and joy. You tell me stories of their little years and I see the days and years flash behind your eyes as you speak. The memories linger in your heart. I can tell that you are torn between what you love in this moment and knowing that if you were still in the little years you wouldn’t be facing the moment of letting them go so soon.
Mom of teenagers, I want you to know that I look up to you. I look to you for guidance and I look to you for understanding and knowledge. I think we have more in common than either of us realize.
I think we both love our children with every breath we take. I think we both feel a tightening in our chests when we think about our children being hurt or going out into the world alone. I think we both lose sleep wondering if we are making the right decisions. I think we are both doing the best we can, figuring it out as we go, winging it when we have to, praying every single day “Lord, please help me.”
Mom of teenagers, I hope you know how special you are. I hope you know that your life is just beginning and that you are in an important stage too. I know you wish you could go back in time and hold your sweet babies one more time, but I’ll say it back to you….’Don’t blink. This stage is going to be over before you know it. Cherish every moment.”
We’re in this together, you and I. Me with my littles and you with your big ones. Let’s hold each other up when neither one of us have the words to speak. Because, mom with teenagers, I think you need me and I need you. Somehow, through stories, tears, advice and longing, we will journey together. And when you wobble along the path, I’ll be right here to remind you how far you have gone, the beauty of what you’ve already done and when I wobble you’ll be right there to remind me of where I am going and the beauty of what is to come.
Ready? Deep breath, mom. We’ve got this.
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