A Mama's Manifesto

A Promise for the Small

I will make your pancakes into shapes

I will read you the good books. As many times as you ask me to.

I will teach you to see that the world is a beautiful place, and the value of wonder, and of being undone.
I will teach you the difference between what is important, and what is merely urgent.

When things get bad, we’ll put on something happy and dance around the living room.

I won’t let you give less than your best.

I won’t tell you to ‘leave that rock alone and hurry up!’ when we’re in a hurry. If we’re 4 minutes late to school, so be it.
I will teach you to forgive, quickly and completely.

I will buy you microscopes and oil pastels and charts of the stars. Sorry about the Barbies and all the hand-held games, but no.

I won’t let you grow up believing you’re the center of the universe.

I will teach you how to learn, and how to want to learn.
I will help you to find ways to be kind, to be useful, and to be attentive to the fragile, fleeting moments of these our days. 

I will take you for rainy walks and insist on our jumping in every puddle.

I will teach you to treat others with respect, and to see through the eyes of the world.

I will teach you what love is. And what it is not.
I will show you how to be big... immense. Sky-splitting and ear-splitting, and soul-splitting; and yet to love the small and wonderful things. 

I will cuddle under the blankets with you at night and read  stories by flashlight.

I will teach you to hope through despair, to joy through the rough patches, and to hold on to peace with all diligence as the wars rage.

I will show you how big the world is, and how small.

I will do all the regular things – wash your clothes, make your dinner, lace up your new shoes; and then at the right time, I’ll hand them back to you.

I will tell you the truth. Every time.

I will teach you to be both fearless and wise.

I will pray for you, with you, and behind your back.

I will teach you to make something unbelievable out of whatever is at hand.

I will sit in your room when you’re six and keep the Thing In The Closet at bay.
I will remember that I am a person, separate and unique, and I will continue to learn and grow and become, so that we'll have lives full of things to talk about when we're old. 

I will sing you songs, and plant them in your heart, so you’ll have something to hold on to when things go dark.

I will make home the place you love best.

I will teach you responsibility by giving you things you can handle, and expecting you to shine.
I will show you how to let gratitude live in your heart, that there may be no place for bitterness and contempt.

I will keep my word.

I will teach you that the best defense against the demons of self pity and depression and narrow thinking, is helping someone else. 

I will be your go-to girl, your new idea, your wailing wall, your secret-keeper.

I will watch the skies with you, I will dream with you, I will laugh and laugh and laugh with you, I will be pierced through, and sorrow with you, and then lift you out again.

I will understand.

I will push.

I will not give up. Ever.

And, like it or not, child of my heart, I will be your mama ‘till the day you die. Pinky promise. 

(just in case i start to forget...)

-shawnacy