Mother's Day

   As mothers, we don't always receive hearts and flowers and rainbows. Sometimes, what we receive is a painting like this, which I love and adore as much as any hearts and flowers. It's a certificate of my luckiness. I have to explain what you see in this picture is not a dinosaur or something like that: It is a picture of me drawn by my 5 year old, Ryka.

   Here is the little story behind it: It was almost 9pm. I was exhausted of reminding the boys (then 8 and 5 year old) that it is past sleep time. They were running around, screaming, jumping on the bed, wrestling, making funny noises as if it was only 9am. It took me a while until I could eventually send them both to the bathroom so they could brush their teeth and we could start the sleep routine; But the silliness continued...until I lost it and screamed like crazy mamas do.

There was a moment of silence where they both looked at me in shock. I think they had just noticed me standing there behind them. As Rodeen started to grab his toothbrush, Ryka left the bathroom without saying a word, went straight to his bedroom, took a piece of paper and started drawing. Just like that. Rodeen and I followed him. I asked him what was he doing? Why was he drawing a dinosaur all of a sudden?

“It is not a dinosaur! This is you when you yell!”

We laughed and hugged and I had to apologize.

I've posted his painting on the wall to remind me how lucky I am to be the mother of these incredible individuals. This beautiful soul showed me the most civilized protest in all his might. I don’t remember anyone has ever been able to teach me anything as strong and profound as what he did with no extra words.

Motherhood is not all hearts and flowers. Sometimes –if not most of the times– it is like walking a tightrope, you are not allowed to make a single wrong move; But If you did, hopefully you are lucky enough to grab the little hands that can pull you up and bring you back to balance.