Laura Chapman Writes

I love this quote by Nikhil Saluia:  “Being a Mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children go.”

My heart has taken me places I never dreamed I’d go; certainly places I never wanted to go. But I wasn’t given that choice and I know I am not alone.  

Quite simply, life offers no promises; especially for parents.  I don’t care how wonderful things may appear looking into someone else’s windows.

I am blessed with three wonderful children, all of whom I tried very hard to protect from monsters.  These children are the light of my life and sometimes I am so proud of each of them I can hardly stand it. Surely no other mother has children so beautiful, handsome or clever. 

And as amazing as they are,  their children are even more so; the best of each of them multiplied a thousand times in these small, enchanting creatures who can stop traffic with just their smiles.

When my children were born I was suddenly driven by an overwhelming, instinctual need to protect them. Like every mother, I took their hands and carefully led. 

I taught them to be wary of strangers. Assured them that there is nothing sinister under the bed. There were no monsters lurking in the closet.  

But we all know otherwise. And eventually, sometimes sooner than we wish, our children know this too. If we are lucky, the monsters simply serve as valuable lessons.  

If not, they threaten to take our children away completely.  

Unfortunately, when one of my children marched straight into a nightmare and pulled all of us in with her, they almost did. 

I couldn’t feel more blessed we didn’t lose her forever.

But looking back, I came to a surprising conclusion. So surprising it stopped me dead in my tracks. 

I am grateful for those monsters. 

Without them I wouldn’t have a clue how lucky I am. Without them, I might think that great blessings and profound joy are common place. Without them, I certainly wouldn’t appreciate every moment of every day as I do now.