When I became a mother, I discovered one of the many attributes I needed to practice more of was patience.
Patience with my child: he was only a baby; brand new to this world, he had no way to communicate or make his needs known. His body was growing minute by minute so he needed nourishing often. He slept in tiny increments, making it hard for me to rest at all. He needed so much of me when I had so little to give. I learned to be patient.
Patience with my spouse: she was a brand new mother; she had never done this before and knew very little of what to expect. She did what she could but she was unable to soothe our child in the way I could, so most of the caretaking fell on me. She got less and less of my attention so our relationship felt shaky; she missed me. I learned to be patient.
Patience with myself: I just experienced trauma and gave new life to the world; I was hurting and healing at the same time. I was a first time mother making decisions for a brand new life. I punished my body for not providing a safe space for my unborn child to term. I put myself on the back burner to tend to the needs of my family and it was a struggle to find myself again. I learned to be patient.
Patience is the greatest gift I have given myself. It is there when I need it, ready to be utilized and taught to those around me. It gets me through tough moments and allows me to slow down to enjoy the life I’ve built. It is the one trait I am most proud of nurturing and growing within myself. I am The Patient Parent, and it is my wish to instill that patience in the families I serve.
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