CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY
An Allegory by Patricia Marie Warren
“Loved, never cherished,” Sara thought as she reflected back over her long life. Shuffling slowly to the stove to refill her tea cup, she fondly remembered that excited kiss at the altar nearly 70 years ago. The romantic early days of marriage quickly turned to days of busy homemaking as she learned skills to turn their house into a haven. Her life was then engulfed by the most breath-taking love she’d ever experienced when she looked into the eyes of her first child. She recalled how her heart would ache with a fierce love for this needy little one. That one was soon followed by more needy little ones to love.
“Needed, not cherished,” Sara sighed softly. The years passed too quickly in noisy, busy living. Little needy loved ones grew into big loved ones, throwing kisses as they rushed out the door, smiling condescendingly at her concerned words to “Be careful and call me when you get there.” Weddings and births and holiday gatherings filled the middle years. The house was quiet in-between events except for the droning of the TV or radio. Sara and her husband had long settled into comfortable companionship, eventually conversation lagging to small discussions of meal or program choices.
“Sometimes being ignored is lonelier than being alone,” she mused, all the while longing to feel just one more time, that little pat on her hand as they sat together watching TV. She wearily rinsed her cup and headed to bed, wishing she’d be snuggling up to his warm frame again and falling asleep to the sound of his snoring. As she drifted off, she thought she heard far away voices singing her favorite hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy….”
Sara opened her eyes to incredible brightness. Although she was standing by herself the whole place was filled with a familiar Presence. She started walking, amazingly now without aches or pains or shuffling. Brilliant colors, soft melodies, and refreshing scents permeated this beautiful place that felt like home, but was not her little house in its little hollow. It was filled with people having picnics all around her.
Sara paused by a beautiful fruit tree to watch a woman seated on the verdant grass with two children pressed against her and one in her lap. Other children and adults were approaching to give her hugs. Aware of Someone standing next to her, Sara turned to look into the eyes of the One whose voice she knew intimately in her heart and now heard with her ears as He explained, “The little child to the left of her and the one in her lap are the children Emily carried but never got to hold. The boy on her right is the one she nurtured for eleven years before having to tell him goodbye. The others are the children she raised and faithfully taught My ways.”
Reaching to take the hand He extended to her, Sara’s heart leapt as she felt the scar in His palm pressing against her own palm. She considered the magnitude of this miraculous moment: strolling through the park hand-in-hand with the One who’s Love made it possible for her to be here.
They came upon a clearing filled with groups of people clustered around one tiny woman, laughing and chatting with her and introducing their companions to her. Again, Jesus explained, “Although she birthed none, Maria’s love for children and her desire for them to know Me was so great that she has many children of her heart. They are introducing those lives she touched by loving them…her love that reached out like ripples in a pond bringing many into My family.”
As they walked on Sara saw a woman and a child sitting side-by-side next to a glittering pond smiling shyly at each other. “Anna didn’t come to know Me until she was in her middle-aged years. The child has been with Me since Anna was twenty. Anna let friends and family convince her that her own future was more valuable than that of her child. This is the first time they have met face-to-face…and the first moment when Anna’s choice hasn’t caused her dark, crushing grief.”
Frozen in awe at the evidence of Mercy in front of her, Sara felt a gentle tug on her hand as Jesus began guiding her toward a particular destination. It seemed they had been walking only a moment, or perhaps a month…it was so hard to gauge time in this place of eternal Beauty. She glanced around wondering about her own family and noticed murmuring sounds from inside an enclosed garden. Those sounds hushed as Jesus led her through the entrance.
Sara heard familiar voices all around her shouting “Happy Mother’s Day!” Some were adding Mom, some Nana, others Miss Sara, and one long-missed voice adding Sweetheart. In the crush of bodies rushing to give her hugs, Sara’s hand slipped from Jesus’ hand. Turning joyful eyes to His as she realized He had led her to her own special picnic, she heard Him whisper to her grateful heart, “Dear Mother, you have always been cherished.”
“Needed, not cherished,” Sara sighed softly. The years passed too quickly in noisy, busy living. Little needy loved ones grew into big loved ones, throwing kisses as they rushed out the door, smiling condescendingly at her concerned words to “Be careful and call me when you get there.” Weddings and births and holiday gatherings filled the middle years. The house was quiet in-between events except for the droning of the TV or radio. Sara and her husband had long settled into comfortable companionship, eventually conversation lagging to small discussions of meal or program choices.
“Sometimes being ignored is lonelier than being alone,” she mused, all the while longing to feel just one more time, that little pat on her hand as they sat together watching TV. She wearily rinsed her cup and headed to bed, wishing she’d be snuggling up to his warm frame again and falling asleep to the sound of his snoring. As she drifted off, she thought she heard far away voices singing her favorite hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy….”
Sara opened her eyes to incredible brightness. Although she was standing by herself the whole place was filled with a familiar Presence. She started walking, amazingly now without aches or pains or shuffling. Brilliant colors, soft melodies, and refreshing scents permeated this beautiful place that felt like home, but was not her little house in its little hollow. It was filled with people having picnics all around her.
Sara paused by a beautiful fruit tree to watch a woman seated on the verdant grass with two children pressed against her and one in her lap. Other children and adults were approaching to give her hugs. Aware of Someone standing next to her, Sara turned to look into the eyes of the One whose voice she knew intimately in her heart and now heard with her ears as He explained, “The little child to the left of her and the one in her lap are the children Emily carried but never got to hold. The boy on her right is the one she nurtured for eleven years before having to tell him goodbye. The others are the children she raised and faithfully taught My ways.”
Reaching to take the hand He extended to her, Sara’s heart leapt as she felt the scar in His palm pressing against her own palm. She considered the magnitude of this miraculous moment: strolling through the park hand-in-hand with the One who’s Love made it possible for her to be here.
They came upon a clearing filled with groups of people clustered around one tiny woman, laughing and chatting with her and introducing their companions to her. Again, Jesus explained, “Although she birthed none, Maria’s love for children and her desire for them to know Me was so great that she has many children of her heart. They are introducing those lives she touched by loving them…her love that reached out like ripples in a pond bringing many into My family.”
As they walked on Sara saw a woman and a child sitting side-by-side next to a glittering pond smiling shyly at each other. “Anna didn’t come to know Me until she was in her middle-aged years. The child has been with Me since Anna was twenty. Anna let friends and family convince her that her own future was more valuable than that of her child. This is the first time they have met face-to-face…and the first moment when Anna’s choice hasn’t caused her dark, crushing grief.”
Frozen in awe at the evidence of Mercy in front of her, Sara felt a gentle tug on her hand as Jesus began guiding her toward a particular destination. It seemed they had been walking only a moment, or perhaps a month…it was so hard to gauge time in this place of eternal Beauty. She glanced around wondering about her own family and noticed murmuring sounds from inside an enclosed garden. Those sounds hushed as Jesus led her through the entrance.
Sara heard familiar voices all around her shouting “Happy Mother’s Day!” Some were adding Mom, some Nana, others Miss Sara, and one long-missed voice adding Sweetheart. In the crush of bodies rushing to give her hugs, Sara’s hand slipped from Jesus’ hand. Turning joyful eyes to His as she realized He had led her to her own special picnic, she heard Him whisper to her grateful heart, “Dear Mother, you have always been cherished.”
This allegory, more story than words, is dedicated to my mother, Peggy Joan Shelden;
my mother-in-love, Minnie Charlene Estep;
and my grandmother-in-love, Erie Justice Russell.
Happy Mother’s Day!
You are loved, needed, and cherished, Dear Mothers.
my mother-in-love, Minnie Charlene Estep;
and my grandmother-in-love, Erie Justice Russell.
Happy Mother’s Day!
You are loved, needed, and cherished, Dear Mothers.
© May 2009 | Patricia Marie Warren & Typing One-Handed Publishing
http://patriciamariewarren.blogspot.com
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Your portable document copy is available here: Celebrating Mother's Day,
or by clicking on the picture at the top.You will need Adobe Reader to view it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your portable document copy is available here: Celebrating Mother's Day,
or by clicking on the picture at the top.You will need Adobe Reader to view it.
7 comments:
This was beautiful.Thank-u for sharing.Wishing you a very Blessed Mothers Day! Blessings, Faye
Beautiful, thank you ~
Absolutely beautiful...Happy WFW!
great post thank you for sharing
Oh, how touching!!
I pray your day is blessed and your parents as well.
Blessings to you this WFW♥
So very, very lovely.
Well, you made me cry. Good tears. Cleansing tears. it's my second Mother's Day without my mom and I have been steadfastly avoiding Mother's Day-related t hings. But, Patricia, this is so much more than Mother's Day. This is faith and mercy and grace and peace and salvation....
Thank you.
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