My Mother's Prayer

I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being. Hafiz 

Let Your Light Shine

 
Here's what I want for my kiddo:


Never get hurt, always have money, never go hungry, never have a toothache, never have your heart broken. Have fun, make good grades, relax, have friends. I wish that you never experience the heart ache of having a friend talk behind your back. I want you to find what you love to do. and I hope it pays well.

Be careful when you cross the road, walk down the stairs, drive across town, go into a public bathroom alone. Don't talk to icky strangers. I wish that everyone good is your friend.

I hope you are never lonely. I never want you to settle for second best or someone who treats you like you're second best. I would kill to never have anyone harm or molest you. 

Be silly, be courageous, dance down the aisles in the grocery store, don't be self-conscious. Love your mother, love your father, love yourself.

But so far she's gotten hurt, been stressed when I didn't know where the money to eat would come from. She's had four dental surgeries. Friends have turned their back on her. She's been bored and lonely. She's had to retake end of grade tests in Math and been very frustrated as she tried to write a complete sentence. She's been diagnosed with a learning "Disability". 

After all that my prayer is that you see how bright your light is, that you be kind and silly and dance down the aisles in the stores. My prayer is that when things get hard, you rise to the challenge. That you find friends to comfort you. That you brush your teeth and listen to the dentist. That you are kind, but stick up for yourself. That you take risks and be powerful, but don't run with the bulls like real crazy men. And avoid the real crazy men.

That if you do some things as stupid as your mom, and God Forbid your DAD, you know you can call us and we will pick you up, with love and care. We won't lecture - well, not until after we've had a grill cheese and french fries together. Maybe, we will tell you HOW stupid we were, uh, ARE, we're learning. We did do one thing right, and she's sitting right beside me now. 

My prayer is that while you travel in the darkness, you remember that

"We have come into this exquisite world to experience ever and ever more deeply our divine courage, freedom and light!"
Hafiz  

And please never stop dancing down the aisles of the grocery store as you do now. It makes you happy and makes other people smile, especially me. 


Let Your Light Shine is available as an 11x14" archival print. Click  to see what's available or Send me a message me with questions. Hey, I would love to hear about your experiences being a mom!!

~  Billie


"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!"     -  Anne Frank