Music Monday: “Mamas.” by Ann Wilson and Hilary Scott
by: Debbie Waltz
Welcome Back, Readers~
Twenty years later, I still remember those times of living on my own with fondness. They showed me what I was capable of and who I could rely on. Sure, there was the unexpected hiccup of personal assistants not showing up or calling in sick, but I handled it. In most cases, that involved me calling up my parents (who lived 15 minutes away at the time) and asking them to come over and help me out. Now I’m sure it was an annoyance – having to drop things at a moment’s notice to rush over and clean up a Spilled Snapple from an unexpected spasm. How about rearranging their plans to fix my dinner and then putting me to bed at night? But they handled it with such grace and humility.
Like me, they understood how important this step of independence was. They needed to assure themselves what I was capable of before they were gone, not only for their own peace of mind, but that gave me the confidence to stretch out my wings. To be clear, the idea of me living by myself still worried my mom. So much so they purchased 2- way audio and video cameras to watch me just in case something happened during the night. Thankfully, I didn’t have many middle-of-the-night emergencies.
Still, there was something strangely comforting about knowing someone is watching over you as you slept. This is reminiscent of life as well.
We all have women in our lives (both alive and deceased) that have played a vital role in helping us become the women we are today. They have helped us grow by sharing their experiences and often providing much-needed advice without prompting or pretense. Sometimes, though, you learn the most important traits about a person in times of difficulty. It’s during these times that you realize where they put their faith. Is it in God or themselves?
As Christians, it’s easy to forget we are leaving a legacy, just like our mothers do. We influence the world for good or bad in every action or thought. The apostle Paul likens it to running a race with perseverance. Hebrews 12:1-3 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
On a personal note, I would like to take a moment to thank my mother for helping me become the woman I am today. It’s been a tough year for you, but you handled everything gracefully. I can only hope to live up to the legacy you and your mother have continued striving for. You have given me wings to fly and a soft place to land when I fall. It is much appreciated. I love you; I miss Grandma too! Her legacy lives on.
To listen to Ann Wilson’s song, it can be accessed here