I am a Mother / Perspective
Tuesday I wept because two of my girls got "untidy" haircuts from a less than experienced hairdresser. I wept because my house is a mess and I don't know where to start in putting everything back together for the umpteenth time. I wept because I have no confidence in myself to complete anything at the moment. I'm a mother and a wife and a homemaker, and I guess all mothers and wives and homemakers feel like this from time to time.
Then I found a few photos that put everything into perspective. If I knew all the things that went on in this world, bad haircuts and dust and "unfinished projects" wouldn't be the oh-so-earth-shattering events that I make them out to be sometimes. But I think the few things I saw today are enough.
Please note: None of the links below reflect a political stance on my part and I am not sharing them because I have a political agenda of some sort or another, though the directors of the photo videos may. I welcome comments, but please, none of a political nature.
I'm sharing these links because I am a mother - I'm a human, and when I see these photos, I see my own children, as you will see yours. Wherever we live in this world, most of us just want a true home for our children and family, and to keep them well hugged, kissed, loved, and protected. If I can do just that much, I should be so very thankful.
(*Warning - some readers may find some of the photos in the first link disturbing)
Over the Rainbow 1
These are happier (don't let the first frame, sarcastic in nature, fool you), but you'll still need a tissue...
Over the Rainbow 2
Posts
11 comments:
I confess, I didn't look at your links. I suspected they would be sad and so I just could bear to see...And this is coming from a human rights worker (me!). But I took the message away from what you wrote. So thank you. We all do need a little perspective now and again.
P.S. If I could, I would whip right on over there and help you clean house for a day. And I think you should take your girls back and ask that another hairdresser just tidy up the cut at the same place: I am sure they would understand.
Kim,
On the first link, I got about a minute into it and just couldnt do anymore. I know in this time of the end, I may have to face worse things than these images, even on a personal level, but I just cannot bring myself to view them. I remember the news footage after the tsunami and I wept uncontrollably over those images. Not just weeping, mind you, heaving sobs that seemed to never end.
The second link also makes me cry but for a different reason-that song by Israel K is just the stuff of dreams. I've loved it since I first heard it, several years ago.
I appreciate your post wholeheartedly-sometimes we need to be brought back to the important things when we feel stressed or anxious.
And children are the most real and important things there are.
Thank you, Maryam. That's so sweet of you to think about helping me with the house:) And I understand about being reluctant to watch the video...I happened upon it and once I started watching it, I couldn't stop. Oh, about the girls hair, I just worked on them myself when I got home. The cuts look much better than they did - and fortunately hair grows back (and fortunately, the girls aren't as emotional as I tend to be sometimes, lol!)
Ash, thank you for stopping by! Ugh, I know. It's tough to watch. I'm so glad that we can't see everything that happens in this world...we just wouldn't be able to handle it. And I'm so glad that there is hope and that things won't continue this way forever. Last night (at about, oh...2 am) after thinking about the videos for a good hour and a half (and after, yes, crying for about that long), I looked up the scriptures about war being no more - and about death being no more - and especially John 5:25-29...those verses that that we've known all of our lives. But it was just the comfort I needed last night to help me sleep.
Yes, I love that song, too. Even before seeing those videos, that song has always made me teary! IZ was so talented.
Kim...my.space.bar.is.broken.so.
excuse.the.constant.periods
I.am.an.ardent.follower.of.your
blog...I.don't.ever.post.though.
I.just.want.to.say.thank.you.
THANK.YOU...perspective.is.truly
the.word.
I.live.in.a."tony",chic,yuppie,NYC
suburb.and.struggle.daily.to.fight
againts.the.keep-up-with-the-joneses.mentality.
and.not.strangle.my.son.over.
homework.and.first.grade.battles.
Thank.you...we.are.all.mothers.
and.our.children.really.ought.to
belong.to.the.world...I.cried.for
.those.children.and.their.mothers
and.then.prayed.for.them,and.then.
I.will.go.do.my.dishes.eternally.
grateful.for.food.and.water.and.
a.semblance.of.peace
Thank.you.again.
The pictures that touched me most were the ones with the GI's holding the children. I think everyone would agree that war is morally wrong and the ones who suffer are the children & mothers. Very sad and it puts my life in persective. My son is sick with strep right now, but I'm thanking God that he's here with me and for the most part healthy.
weeping here in the northwoods:( we share so much as mammas don't we? It is universal* Take a few days off for yourself Kim..and I agree with my marrakech, take your babes back in and ask that they tidy up the girls again* xo
(((hugs))) I just wrote a big long comment(then deleted it), but what it comes down to is, as a mother and a woman, I understand how you feel so again here is a ((hug)) and prayer of (((hugs))) for all the children of the world who are hurting or suffering right now.
Thank you for making us take a moment and think.
Tiff
Hi Julie.. Aw, I'm glad the photos touched you deeply. If it helps you feel any better, I think that there is a "keeping up with the Jones" mentality just about everywhere in developed and especially affluent countries. It's amazing to me how we as grown ups can sometimes act like such children when it comes to "stuff". Oh, and I hear you about 1st grade - I have a 1st grader myself! We don't have too many battles over homework, but I have a girl, so we're dealing with clothing battles...ugh! Take care, dear, and I so appreciate you stopping and sharing your thoughts. :)
Paula, you are so right. I often think about how none of us choose where in this world we are born ...how it could just as easily have been *me* and my family living and struggling to remain safe in a war torn land - and how it just so happens that I was born and live where I don't have to worry about the kind of horrors that others deal with daily. I guess no matter where are in the world, no matter what we may be experiencing, there is someone else having a much more difficult time.
I really hope your son feels better soon. Strep throat is just awful and it sure is hard to see our little ones sick:(
Thank you, Amy. I'm going to get back into the swing of things this weekend and next week. I think I do need a couple of days to mellow out - a break between everyone being sick here and before I jump into everything at once here.
Tiff, I appreciate your warm thoughts:) I'm so glad we as women and mothers (and humans) were made in such a way that we feel compelled to feel deeply for - not only our own families, but for others less fortunate in the world. I hope you have a good day and thank you for stopping in today:)
Kim, I could only watch part of your links also. I am glad that you were able to find some peace. What would we do with out hope for the future? My heart aches for everyone going through such horrible things. I hope you start to pick up soon. I know how sometimes I get into a slump and everything seems to be going wrong and your emotions are all over the place. Take care of yourself!
Hi Kim,
Sounds like we have a few things in common. Hopefully your life becomes a little less hectic. Thanks for sharing the videos.I almost didn't watch them afraid of getting more depressed but they didn't have that effect on me; they just made me sad and thankful of what I have.Wouldn't life be grand if only .....no more hate no more pain.
I love your blog and your decorating.Will be back for a visit.
p.s.
Cherish the moments with the children they sure grow up fast.My two are teenagers now and it seems like yesterday they were your kids ages.
Annabelle~^..^~
Hey, Bethany! It's so good to "see" you again! Yes, where would we be without our hope? Thank you for your kind words..I'm feeling a bit better and am just dealing with a few physical problems now (fibromyalgia- always worse when it rains). I hope to see you again and I really appreciate you dropping by!
Hi Annebelle! It's nice to meet you. These children really *do* grow fast, don't they? In just a handful of years, I'll have three teenagers...so hard to believe! I'm really sorry that you are struggling with so many health issues right now and I admire your positive attitude. I know that can't always be easy or possible. I hope things improve for you soon:) Thank you for visiting this crazy little place we call home:)
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