Excerpt from The Tao of Motherhood
by Vimala McClure
Everything which endures can
only do so because Eternal
Consciousness gives it a sentience.
A mother who gives herself
completely to her infant meets
herself in the dark and finds
fulfillment.
In the hours between midnight
dawn, she crosses the
threshold of self-concern and
discovers a Self that has no limits.
A wise mother meets this
Presence with humility and steps
through time into selflessness.
Infants know when their mothers
have done this, and they becomes peaceful.
Who, then, is the doer? Is it the
infant who brings its mother
through the veil of self-concern
into limitlessness? Is it the
mother, who chooses to hold
sacred her infant's needs and
surrender herself? Or is it the
One, which weaves them both
through a spiraling path
toward wholeness?
You can sit and meditate while
your baby cries himself to sleep.
Or you can go to him and share
his tears, and find your Self.
I saw this on a blog the other day and it really resonated with me. After hearing someone comment that "the only time a newborn cries himself to sleep is when he realizes no one is coming for them", I could never bring myself to let J cry it out. While he is not a newborn anymore (*sniff*), I'm still not to the point where it seems ok. It amazes me how much of parenting really is what feels "right". I kinda have to laugh now when people tell me what I'm doing is bad for him. How can something that feels like the right thing be so wrong?
We seem to disconnect from the act of parenting, with milestones, aptitude tests, percentiles, the list goes on; we are so focused on how our kids measure up, we forget to trust our instincts, and don't allow ourselves to get lost in the moments that matter most. Being a parent has forced me to slow down and reevaluate things. I've become one of "those" moms, the ones I swore I'd never be like, and it's been an amazing experience.
On a similar note, happy-belated Mothers day to all you wonderful mothers out there! Remember to trust yourself and to savor these short, sweet years with our children.
