One night recently, I was sat in the children's room just after they'd dropped off to sleep. I was holding Isaac's hand and Olivia was in my arms.
It had been a difficult evening and I was feeling tired, and a little isolated. Isaac had just said the most beautiful prayer, and I felt impressed to spend some time saying my own, whilst bathing in the blissful silence around me. As I allowed myself to fill up with all sorts of emotions, this poem sprang to life inside my head....
A Mother's Prayer Father, I hope you do not mind if I say a prayer to you, Although I'm grown, I'm still your child and I need blessings too. Help me to be patient, and help me to be kind. Let hope replace my anguish, and your peace fill my mind. Help me to feel brave, when all it seems I do, Is nothing more adventurous than laundry piles anew. Help me to feel learned, when all the things I say, Are ABCs and 123s each and every day. Help me to feel beautiful and hold my head up high, When my messy hair and grubby clothes make me want to cry! Help me not to feel alone, although I sometimes am. Let me feel your love for me, and my part in your plan.
Help me to remember every laugh and every smile. Let me catch the joy I'm feeling, and hold it for a while. Because sometimes, when the day goes wrong (as it very often does) I need help to remember all the small things that I love... The lovely, soggy baby kiss, the fun things that they say, The new things that they learn to do each and every day. The faithful prayers they utter, the sweet hugs that they give... Yes, these tender mercies Lord, teach me how to live. Father, I hope you do not mind if I give thanks to you. Although I'm grown, I'm still your child - you give me blessings too. Thank you for my children, and thank you for this chance, For motherhood as shown me heaven, though only at a glance. And though I don't feel beautiful with yoghurt in my hair, My son calls me 'gorgeous' and strokes my face with care. And though it's sometimes hard when only simple things I say, I see it now, that this is how my child learns to pray. Help me to remember this if I lose my way again. I thank thee, Lord and give my love, in thy Son's name, Amen.
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