Wouldn't it be nice if, years earlier, one of my brothers would have walked up to the other and said, "Hi, I missed you today. I'd like to play some catch of the football with you." That's usually not how it went down. Instead, there was the almighty throw of the brown leathered ball, without the receiver knowing it was coming, and sometimes hitting him smack in the head or stomach. The result? A big 'ole "Mmmmoooooommmm!!!!" And there my mother would step in, trying to discern how to foster a sense of safety amongst her children, without losing her own cool.
Yikes!
This has been my world for the last 10+ years. When I'm in a "good" place, I can recognize that with the mere throw of the football lies an opportunity for communication and an understanding into what my children's needs are in that moment. Generally, it is a desire to connect. It's not the way I imagine connection, but it is their way. With this awareness comes a conscious shift in my own energy, which results in a sense of peace returning to my life, especially amidst the chaos.
Today, I celebrate all parents who find themselves resonating with what this mom sums up best at the end of her video clip: the fighting can (and does) lead to intimacy, and that love will ALWAYS prevail.
