by Cathy
The other night as the girls were getting ready for bed, placing stuffed animals just so, fluffing and propping up pillows, blowing their noses, sipping their water and finding their eye masks (you heard right), Bella verbally stumbled upon something pretty life-changing for her.
"Mommy, when you were out of town, there was no magical fairy that put my eye mask in its place or made my bed or hung my clothes."
"Yes, honey. That's what moms are," I came to realize for myself. "Magical fairies that flitter and flutter around the house taking care of all the little things."
We stealthily put out the million little fires before they become full blown blazes and we busily bustle about and invisibly handle the million little thoughtful conveniences that make everyone else's lives easier - like replacing rolls of toilet paper (remembering to buy the toilet paper), having the fridge stocked, making sure clothes are freshly washed and folded away, cleaning off desks so homework can be done and packing backpacks and lunches just to name a few.
"And," I continued, "because I do all of these little things for you, when I am not around, they can become bigger things and you learn to appreciate what I do for you. Riiiiight?"
""MmmmHmmm," she sighed as she hunkered down into the breezy mountain air sheets and comforters that the magical fairy washed for her.
She doesn't really get it. (And that's okay).
Just like I didn't get and appreciate everything my mom did for my sister and I until I moved out. And even moreso? When I had kids. Boy, have there been countless little moments - and big moments alike - when I think about my mom and what she went through, and why she said what she said the countless times she said it, and how she handled things and how she got through things with us, with herself, with the family.
My daughters don't realize it now because they are the wallflowers just watching the dance. But wait until they start dancing. After I got married, my mom would tell me, "Now that you're in the dance, you gotta keep on dancing." She might as well have said "Blue porcupines converse with aliens on rooftops" because I just didn't GET it then. Oh, but I do now.
So, I will be Mom, the Magic Fairy and I will keep on dancing, because it's my turn to do so. And until it's my kids' turn, if I can make the music seem a little less loud and let them enjoy sitting this one out, I will.
