Life in Perspective
My 9-year-old plays spring baseball. So I spend several evenings a week watching his games and talking with new mom friends like Christine who has four boys (2 to 12). She’s always multitasking as we talk: cheering one son on the pitcher’s mound, watching another ride his scooter and another on the playground, while the little one’s diggin’ in the dirt. Some of our conversations are more intense than others, like last Thursday’s.
“Look at my Mother’s Day gift,” she said as she handed me a jeweled ring. “I’ve been hinting for awhile to my husband that I wanted my boy’s birthstones. I just wanted a necklace. He got me a ring!”
“Oh, very nice,” I said.
“There are five stones in my ring and five names, “she said. “Have I told you that I lost a son? Noah was born in 1999 with Trisomy-13 and only lived for six days.”
“I’m sorry … your ring is beautiful … so did you get some time off on Mother’s Day?” I asked.
“Not really,” she said, “Every Saturday I work the overnight shift at Wal-Mart to make some extra money.”
“So you were up for 36-plus hours straight?” I asked.
“Yes, but I did take a nap before we went to the cemetery and then to lunch, “she explained. “I visit Noah’s grave every Mother’s Day.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to Christine talk about her Mother’s Day experience. The game soon ended, but I kept thinking about our conversation. Hearing about this mom's challenges really put my life into perspective that day.
Blessings,
Mary Darr, Editor | 
