Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Eggs and a Mother's love

It's funny how the smallest, most insignificant things can trigger a memory. This morning, I had one of those moments as I was standing in my kitchen and cracking an egg. I don't know why, exactly, but poached eggs have always been a comfort food for me. When I was a child, my mom would make them for me on days when we had a few extra minutes to get ready and have breakfast in the mornings. They are kind of labor-intensive, and to this day, my mom makes the *best* poached eggs in the world! She always served two eggs, with cooked whites and runny yolks, and two pieces of toast, buttered and torn into little pieces.

Several years ago, I was working out of town in Salisbury, Maryland, when I was injured in a very bad car accident. This morning, I was reminded of the fact that when my mom came out to Maryland to take care of me and pick me up and bring me home, she made me some poached eggs. They were wonderful. What I really was remembering this morning, though, was the emotion tied to that time. I was in bad shape. I had only recently gotten divorced from my ex-husband, I no longer owned a home, I was injured and alone far, far from home. I had hydroplaned in a bad thunderstorm, and crashed my car into a telephone pole on the way to work one Monday morning. I was life flighted from the scene of the accident in a rural part of Maryland back to the hospital in Salisbury. I was bruised and beaten up, I had a concussion, tons of stitches, and a broken shoulder. To this day, I'm not sure why the hospital sent me home all alone...I couldn't take care of myself at all. I even needed help getting to the bathroom. But thankfully, God protected me in that crash, as I could have been injured much more badly than I was. When I went back to my car a few days later to gather my personal belongings, I was shocked that anyone could be in a car that mangled and survive.

What I remembered this morning, however, was the overwhelming sense of relief and well-being that I felt when my Mom arrived the following afternoon. I was so afraid...but once I saw her walking through the door to my apartment, I knew that everything was finally going to be OK. Mom was wonderful. She cooked for me. She helped me to bathe and wash the blood out of my hair. She helped me dress and go to the bathroom. She helped me to tie up loose ends at work (including writing patient notes for me as I dictated, since my right arm was out of commission), and then she packed up all of my belongings into a rental car and drove me and my big dog, Sheba back home to Kansas City.

I never really learned to poach an egg, but this morning, I was struck by the fact that I now have the awesome privilege of being someone's MOM. There are now two people in the world who will feel that same sense of well-being whenever I am with them. How awesome is that? With God's help, I pray that I am able to be half the mom to my own kids as my mom was to me. I had a wonderful example, and I am forever grateful.

5 comments:

  1. Aww, thanks Hilary! As they say, "Takes one to know one!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent Danielle....I will be honest and your poached eggs brought a tear to my eye well ,,,well quite a few!!! I often think the same thoughts that your thinking and it is awesome meaning as much to our kids as our mothers mean to us. Ive often repeated your words myself that if I do half the job my mum did then im going do ok.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, that's it exactly, Siobhan!

    It's not said in any sort of arrogance, but rather, I find it so very humbling to think of the awesome responsibility and gift that God has bestowed upon us when He gave us our children.

    All the years that I waited and prayed for God to allow me to be a mother, I had no real idea just how amazing the whole experience would be. Everyone says that your life will change forever, but I really didn't know just how much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for the memories and not mentioning the not one but two traffic tickets I got on the way home. You were either sleeping (see I do need your driving advise) or in so much pain that I only wanred to get you home and into a non-moving enviroment. We never did tell your Dad about those tickets.

    I have watched you with Eoin and Reagan and believe me you are the best mom I know. Your patience with two small ones 20 months apart is amazing. You always teach when you praise or discipline. Their smiles show how much they are loved and how loving they are in return. Their confidence in theirselves and their mom's love will allow them to grow,and the faith you are teaching in God will always support them as they grow.

    I love you so much and now you have given me the greatest gift a mom can have and that is two wonderful grandchildren to love as well. Thank you for this privilage and believe me it is right up there with having your own children as far as being amazing joy.

    ReplyDelete