The evolution of life is a remarkable thing! Each and every day experiences shape and mold us into the person we are today. While each experience may or may not be monumental, they all add up to impact and change us in ways we never imagined. The most spectacular and simultaneously the most difficult may be that of parenthood...perhaps, even more specifically, that of motherhood.
Although I don't remember very clearly, as I was recuperating from the intensity of labor during our first child's birth, but, I was told that the first words to come from holding my baby for the first time was, "I never knew this kind of love existed." Those words stand true to this day. There is nothing to compare to the love that we have for our children. And until we have children, we never really know this kind of love...the kind that takes your breathe away each time you hold and hug and kiss the little ones that you love most, the kind that makes you know what it feels like to have your heart walking outside of your body, the kind that makes you marvel at the beauty and magnificence of life as you watch them learn and grow, fumble and fly. Each stage of development brings within us both joy and sadness...joy because they have mastered a skill, an ability, a piece of knowledge that will add to their life long repertoire of tools to becoming a fully independent and functional part of society and sadness because one step forward means one step further away from us they move.
Perhaps what most beautifully encapsulates human growth and development is that which is the butterfly...a life species that starts off slow moving, relatively sedentary, so completely dependent and vulnerable suddenly transforms into one of the most graceful, beautiful, independent and amazing creations on earth. The butterfly, not so unlike us, must be set free so that it can fly and BE beautiful. These creations of nature are very sensitive to changes and will be the first to perish from an imbalanced ecosystem. For what good is a butterfly who is sad and held back from fluttering freely in the wind and the air that breathes into them life.
And so, it is the same with our children. We must, at some point, allow them to fly and be free so that they may shine with all their brightness and beauty. And in turn, they will leave a mark on us that would never have formed if they did not come into our lives. This is called the love of life. So, tell me, do you know of this kind of love? And if you do, you know that embracing the changes in life can mean heartbreak, heartache and everything sorrowful at the same time that it means beautiful, magical and remarkable. These are the sentiments that encapsulate the inspiration for my next custom creation.
