by Marisue Alsobrook

“Rockin’ my babies, ah!  The sweetest of times!  Memories of other sweet parenting moments fill my head tonight.  My youngest child turned 21 today.  Now, how did that happen?  When he was a baby, I was sure that rocking him, as with my other two, was the best of life, and would last forever.  In a parent’s mind, they are forever young.

How can it get any better than that?”

Passage of Time

Well, today topped it.  We had called him this morning about 6:00 am. and sang “happy birthday” to his voicemail.  Later in the day, he called us back and spoke to his dad for a few moments.  I noticed Lynn’s blurry eyes when he hung up and he said, “Son 3  (I promised not to use their name until they say I can) is going to call you in a moment.”   Evidently son 3 had a plan and was stickin’ to it.

Maturity

When I answered the phone, he said “Mom, I wanted to just tell you how much I love you.  You’ve always been there for me.  You know how you’ve always said you’d love me forever, like the sky is blue and the grass is green and always would be?  I knew it, but now Mom, I really see it.  You know why?  Because that’s the way I love you too.”  I noticed Lynn was watching my tears and had new ones of his own.

I was trying to talk and say “We love you too and thank you for this wonderful call on your 21st birthday.”  but he wasn’t through.  My son who finds it difficult to speak from the heart, was talking.  I turned quiet, listening, letting the tears flow down my cheeks.

Parenting Plan

Don’t you love it when a parenting plan comes together?  Years of parenting paid off in a few sentences.  I heard poetry, maturity, sincerity.  He was a man.  He spoke of times when he had not done the right thing or had been mad, and said that we had always been there, believing in him, loving him.  He said over and over “I know you loved me Mom; I always knew it was there, but today, I really see it.”  There was surprise in his voice, and awe.  He said, “I feel different today.”  I said, “Yes, son, I know.  But, you are what I always knew and saw.”  He said, “I like being grown up.  I like this feeling.”  He said, “I’ve got to go now.  I promise to be careful tonight.”   He was choking up, but he had accomplished his mission.  “Y’all don’t worry, ok?”

But, of course, we will.  Isn’t that what parents do?

How can it get any better than that?

Memory Lane

So, parents, rock those babies.  Teach those young ones, Be there for those teens.  Listen to your young adults as they fly the nest.  They come back to you one day, with maturity, sound reasoning, memories, and love.  And then you’ll remember, rockin’ that baby.

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