A Love Like No Other...

No one really can prepare you for being a mother. You can read the books, hear other peoples stories, but there is nothing like that very first moment that you hold that screaming bundle of joy in your arms... The last 13 hours suddenly fade away and every ache and pain in your body is worth it. You suddenly realize the love you feel for this tiny little baby is better than anything you have ever experienced. Sounds amazing right? Well what they don't tell you about is the fact that this amazing love often hurts at times. Not at first really, yes we are tired and worn out and we shed a few thousand tears but that is more out of exhaustion. The hurt I am talking about comes long after you teach them to walk, talk, and feed themselves, after you mold them into the tiny little human they are going to become and they become independent and you can no longer protect them from the pains of life. They don't tell you that your heart breaks into a million pieces when you know they have been hurt by someone they love and look up to. They don't tell you how terribly heart breaking it is to see the smile fade from their eyes, knowing all you can do is hold them tight and reassure them it is ok. Knowing the pain that she feels because you yourself experienced it as a child and you would do anything to not have her feel that pain. It is terrible but then those tiny hands reach out for you and you comfort them and you can feel the life coming back into them as you remind them of the love you have for them. A love like no other... We cant fight their battles for them, as much as we would like to at times, but we can teach them how to navigate through those muddy waters and we can show them how to handle bad situations with poise and grace. We can teach them to forgive and we can teach them to love anyways. To love from a heart that is not cold, a heart that is pure, a heart that will be broken a thousand times. We can show them compassion and how to love others as you would want them to love you in return, no matter what that outcome might be. We show them how no matter what we will always be there for them, proud of them, lifting them up no matter what they do. We do all these things, not out of obligation, but because it comes naturally to us as a mother. Something happens the day they are born, deep from within our soul, and suddenly nothing will ever be as important as they are. That is purely a love like no other.