This weekend I had the most beautiful experience with my family. All three kids were home and the two oldest had their respective boyfriend and girlfriend over. I decided to let the kids tell me …
Making Memories
“Mom, we want the pasta thing with the pesto and chicken. And that salad you make with the sugared almonds and oranges. Oh, and peach cobbler!” Their faces showed their greedy anticipation. I said, “You got it!” I went to the store, grabbed the missing ingredients and headed home to get cooking. I fulfilled their wish list and took it one step further by making a maple cream sauce to drizzle over the peach cobbler. Oh my….everyone should be required to eat maple cream sauce at least once.
I took a little extra time to present the food in a beautiful way and place it on the table. Time to EAT!
We gathered around the table, family and friends. The kids, biological and not, made all the appropriate yummy noises you hope to hear when they are eating their favorites. My daughter’s boyfriend said, “I haven’t eaten this well in a long time.”
I watched as they laughed. Made affectionate eye contact. And talked more seriously about their hopes and dreams for their lives. I watched my children both as parts of me and as the completely independent selves they are becoming.
I was entertained. I was moved by their beauty. I was touched by the new love in the room. The joy of the moments strung together has hung with me for a few days now. Warms my soul.
As the kids are growing up and moving away from what has been their center for so long, I’m so pleased to have made memories that can be talked about around a table while making new ones. I feel lucky to have been ONE of the caring adults in the lives of my kids that made a difference.
This week, I’d like to challenge each of you to remember that you can make a difference in the life of a child. You can be the ONE caring adult that can influence and change the trajectory of their entire lives. You can Be the ONE by giving your time to a child or a child serving organization; offering up your talents to teach a child or support those who do; and by giving generously to organizations like Radiant Health.
Thank you for helping us change lives for good!
