Today you are enough - a little bit of mom-poetry

Today you are enough

I watched my children push themselves

higher up, then higher still.  

Pumping legs and bending backs

to reach new heights until...

The jump-bump of the swing's release

Made their heart-rates increase,

As they whooped and hollered loud; 

Swinging hard they touched the clouds.

Won the prize,

Realized,

feeling so complete,

Flying up and off the plastic glory-seat.  

I joined the celebration

Saying, "How good and strong you are!"

The littlest let go,

and sailed beyond me far.

The brothers laughed out loud

with giggles great and glorious,

And in that shining moment

We sang out in joyful chorus.

But when I turned around I saw

Another mom's expression fall.

Bent low from life, laborious,

With no joy left at all.

Her children played nearby,

Chirping happily with mine,

But she couldn't find a joy-filled tone.

I think, in fact, I heard her moan.

So I caught her eye and smiled then

Infusing courage like a friend.

Because yesterday she was me,

And I was her beneath that tree.

Mothers, friends, sojourners,

Some days it flows like praise,

But other days are weepy, long,

Enshrouded in malaise.

If today you sang a dirge,

And your heart knew great sorrow,

I pray my rhymes encourage,

And point you toward tomorrow.

Today you are enough

by Wendy Speake

For more poetic encouragement that you are perfectly enough...  come this way.