Those first flutters, deep down inside my tummy… they made me stop in my tracks. I waited for it to happen again. The anticipation was so great I could have felt a single hair raise on my arm. I was in tune with my body in a way I had never been before. And then it happened; I felt it again. It was the first time my baby tangibly let me know she was in there. I stopped, smiled, breathed out a sigh, laid my hand below my belly button and simply connected.

The first time you feel those small bubbles, you won’t forget. It’s a sensation like nothing else. Well okay, admittedly it’s kind of like gas, which is nothing to swoon over- but it’s not gas, and that’s why you swoon. It’s your child, your creation, your DNA. It will be your future, hopefully your pride, certainly your legacy, and your number one mission in life. You come to the realization that being a mom isn’t simply a right, it’s a gift…truly the most unimaginable gift from God. What do you get from that gift, from motherhood? You take in a combination of everything that equals love:

The Interaction

From the first time your child lays upon your chest, latches onto your breast, or wraps their hand around your finger, you are taken. It’s the kind of love you will never have with a man, nor anyone else for that matter. Looking into your child’s eyes will never grow old, not even during the teenage years when your heart is breaking for them and they look into your eyes for comfort.

As your child grows, she becomes as much of a need to you as you are to her. She can sense when you’re excited and when you’re scared. She especially knows when something is wrong. If she sees you cry, she wraps her arms around you and comforts you, sometimes wanting to cry herself because your pain causes her pain.

The intentional, nurturing, and guiding interaction between a mother and her child can be one of the most fulfilling aspects in life. And if the relationship is fostered from infancy to adulthood, the tight bonds of a mother and child never go away. The connections can be a near constant source of happiness and gratification. It is this interaction that sets us apart from other animals on our planet. Motherhood is the deepest form of love there is.

The Evolution

No woman is ever the same after having a child. It doesn’t matter whether a child is born healthy or sick, typical, or different. From the moment you see, hold and protect your child, life will never be the same. Sure you always wanted to be successful, but now your success is what ensures your child’s future. You strive to be a provider and a role model. You research, looking for the best daycare facilities. You learn different discipline approaches and seek out the right doctors. You strive to teach independence by modeling independence yourself. You remember, you forget, you give, and you forgive. You’re number one goal is to be a better mother than your own mother, even if she was the most wonderful mother in the world.

For most, this evolution is welcomed. The sacrifice of time, money and sometimes heartache is well worth it in the end- and to what is that end? It is the moment your child becomes a productive citizen that is independent, happy, and positively influences the lives of others. If our children can show these qualities as adults, we know we were successful. That knowledge of success will let us rest easily as we age, hopefully allowing us to let all regrets of the past go.

The Memories

What will we have at being ninety-five years old, but our memories? There will be memories of our own mother which will reflect times of long ago. There will be the memories we made with our own children, of their struggles and of their triumphs. All of the memories will make up who we were then and who we are now. By nature it’s called the circle of life. While motherhood may not be what keeps the Earth on its axis, the rotation of life itself comes full swing. It passes the torch, one day allowing our own children to experience this miracle. And it is this miracle, the miracle of motherhood, which is plain and simply the most unimaginable gift from God. It is one that should never and can never be taken for granted. For it is the respect and honor of being a mother that makes us good mothers. And it is good mothers that keep our earth rotating in the right direction: a direction filled with positive relationships, caring hearts, and a prosperous future.

Featured photo credit: Mother playing with her son in a park/Dollar Photo Club via dollarphotoclub.com