I drive on the highway through a thunderstorm to pick one of you up at work, one of you six children we’re trying to raise, and in the midst of the crashing thunder and piercing lightning, I keep having these thoughts, these flashes of ideas that I want to tell all six of you. Things about life you need to know. Important things.
Jul 14, 2023·edited Jul 14, 2023Liked by Shawn Smucker
So beautiful. I've been having similar ponderings, though you've written it much better than I've thought it. My kids are still quite young compared to yours, and when I imagine what it'll be like to get to the stage of teenagers and empty nesting, I'm terrified. Terrified at how wonderful it could be, and how many heartbreaks I'll experience. All those mistakes that I have made and how much more I will make before I get there. Please keep writing about it.
Oh, there are so many unforeseen heartbreaks as they enter into young adulthood. And yet there is so much joy, as well. "Surrender" is the word we keep coming back to.
Our oldest turned 9 yesterday. Sometimes I just sit and look at these beautiful people and wonder, whose bright idea it was to make me a parent? Surely I am not qualified. I already know so much less than when I started. But as you capture, maybe it’s our presence and not the knowing that matters most.
I feel that pinch too. The impending shifts of our unit as children grow increasingly independent. For the moment I feel both an anxiety that I have not done what I'd hoped with them, have not let go gracefully as I should, and there is so much more to tell, to live, to share -- and a sense of sadness as things shift. For now, I hope the sadness helps the anxiety lessen as we always again offer their stories to God.
This post was one of the best.... it so resonated with me... a parent of ten- yours, mine, ours and theirs. As each one counted down their senior year, I wanted to hold it back so that I could remember to tell them everything they needed to know when I no longer had daily contact with them in life. Yes.... I get it.
So beautiful. I've been having similar ponderings, though you've written it much better than I've thought it. My kids are still quite young compared to yours, and when I imagine what it'll be like to get to the stage of teenagers and empty nesting, I'm terrified. Terrified at how wonderful it could be, and how many heartbreaks I'll experience. All those mistakes that I have made and how much more I will make before I get there. Please keep writing about it.
Oh, there are so many unforeseen heartbreaks as they enter into young adulthood. And yet there is so much joy, as well. "Surrender" is the word we keep coming back to.
Our oldest turned 9 yesterday. Sometimes I just sit and look at these beautiful people and wonder, whose bright idea it was to make me a parent? Surely I am not qualified. I already know so much less than when I started. But as you capture, maybe it’s our presence and not the knowing that matters most.
I really think it is. *sigh* We have much less control than we think we do.
I feel that pinch too. The impending shifts of our unit as children grow increasingly independent. For the moment I feel both an anxiety that I have not done what I'd hoped with them, have not let go gracefully as I should, and there is so much more to tell, to live, to share -- and a sense of sadness as things shift. For now, I hope the sadness helps the anxiety lessen as we always again offer their stories to God.
Returning to "surrender" has been our rallying cry.
I'll take up that one too. Thanks Shawn.
This post was one of the best.... it so resonated with me... a parent of ten- yours, mine, ours and theirs. As each one counted down their senior year, I wanted to hold it back so that I could remember to tell them everything they needed to know when I no longer had daily contact with them in life. Yes.... I get it.
Ten! That's amazing.
Beautiful, holy family life seen best in its glory around an ordinary dinner table. My greatest blessing.
So true.
Just beautiful.
Thanks, Meadow.
Lovely.
Thanks, man. Really sorry to see that you lost a friend recently. Hard days.