While reading one of this summer’s hot reads, Heartbroken by Lisa Unger, I came across a passage that really resonated with me. Birdie, one of the main characters (a grandmother), is reminiscing about when she was a young mom.
And the early morning was a stolen time, the time before the children woke and needed her. She used to wish it could last forever – the quiet, the freedom. Of course, now that it could last forever, now that she could pass an entire day without anyone needing a single thing of her, it wasn’t nearly as pleasant as she imagined it would be. Birdie wondered why that so often seemed to be the case – once you had what you wanted, it was a shadow of what you’d dreamt it to be (p. 4).
Some days I hear, “Mommy will you…” 100 times before 9:00 am and long for when my children will be more independent. But reading this reminded me to be careful what I wish for. The thought of going a whole day without anyone truly needing me makes my heart ache.
Here’s to the joy of a quiet morning, but also to the absolute bliss of feeling needed.
