The real joy of motherhood is watching the world through the eyes of a child.
Childhood is an abundance of joy and harmony, of wonder and excitement.
It’s a journey of truth and self-discovery. It’s the period of our lives when we’re living according to our purest, most authentic selves.
A self that’s in tune with the rhythm of nature and the awe that comes with being fully present, fully at peace.
As we grow and accept the harsh realities of the world we once loved, our joy for the simple things starts to float away like a simple morning breeze. And then without any realization, the breeze has turned into an afternoon gust, leaving room for only the thoughts of the past and the doubts of the future. The wholeness we once had, the contentment with the present moment, is now a distant memory.
So how do we find that joy again?
I’ve heard it comes from awareness, from consciousness, and from acceptance. These words seem so concrete, so easy to comprehend, but in reality, these words feel so far, so abstract, and so heavy at first glance.
And then it happens.
A glimpse of laughter. A moment of peace. A sense of wonder.
These moments come while watching your child catch a glimpse of an ant hill for the first time. Seeing their eyes light up as they notice the tiny specs moving beneath their feet. Watching them study the blades of a hay bale with such unbridled burdens of time or simplicity.
A voice calls me back home to a place I once knew but floated away from. A place that never truly left me but simply needed to be discovered again.
I am forever indebted to my tiny flesh, this boy and this girl that I carried in my womb.
I did not know how this mothering phenomenon would go, nor did I expect it to be so enlightening. They’ve shown me the importance of time and the light that comes with living in the now. In moments where I’m full of exhaustion, worry, and doubt, I catch the wholeness of my children smiling up at me, sharing their joy, wrapped up in the simplest moment.
This is the real joy of motherhood–experiencing the world from the perspective of a child.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ABQ Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
