The Little Things Mothers Remember

Theme:  Why-Moments

My sons’ personalities were similar yet, distinctly different.

Both respectful, kind, honest, real (no parts of phony in our family) + athletic + adventurous + serious + humorous…

One a combination of MacGyver + Pied Piper + Dr. Doolittle and the other a Gamer every Gamer would love to have on speed dial.

One prefers 4-wheel drive

The other preferred sports cars and motorcycles

Sometimes I wonder if adventures with my Dad, my brothers, extended family and friends or personal observations while Growing Up Graddy prepared me for my sons’

• safe (skating, biking or jogging) and daring adventures (surfing, diving off waterfalls, planned and spontaneous road trips, etc.)

• needing aspirin before asking about bandages, scrapes and scars

• “Mamas / Mommie / Madre / Mama Dee, did we tell you about…”

• tiredness being a sign of football, basketball, baseball, surfing, boogie boarding, biking, skating, jogging, marathon gaming or combinations of childhood choices

• Other ‘little things’

Yes and No.

Other times, memories of Mama’s Why-Moments i.e.,

• swimming with sharks (Michael, why did you bring a shark in here? Because it swam too close.)

• Michael’s flying lessons and solo flight (I’m not sure why Mama made me watch the take offs and landings with her. I tried to distract her as much as possible. Decades later, I can still feel her SQUEEZING my hand when I forgot to stand out of her arm’s reach.)

• “Harold, where are you going?” “I’m going with Michael.” “Michael?” > This should have been a Who? What? Where? And sometimes, Why?, question.

• “Harold, why did you put yourself in harm's way?” “To make sure you and my sister were safe.”

Why-Moments may occur before or after phone calls, confessions, receipt of details wanted or unwanted.

Why-Moments do not have a designated time to occur.

Why-Moments may include good or bad news.

Why-Moments may cause unexpected expenses.

Every blue moon, Why-Moments have Good Reasons or Explanations.

When Why-Moments occur, do you have a Reaction Checklist?

  ☐  Prayer

  ☐  Aspirin

  ☐  Was this related to fun?

  ☐  Was this related to bad decisions?

  ☐  Did it cause harm?

  ☐  What will this cost?

  ☐  Who will this cost?

  ☐  Was this a lesson learned?

  ☐  What are the consequences?

☐  No-Fun Punishment

☐  Parental Pay Back

☐  Other

  ☐  Prayer

  ☐  Aspirin

There are too many possibilities and causes of Why-Moments.

One thing is certain... every family will eventually have a few Why-Moments of their own.

I hope you and your family have StressBusters, Forced-Fun, No-Fun Punishments and any other Resource you may need to survive and appreciate surviving the Wow-Moments.

From my heart to yours, Dianne Lawson 💞