A Fable: The Good Mother

A certain child was working on a project that he couldn't complete himself. He felt so frustrated and discouraged that he wailed and cried and beat his fists against the table.

And by chance there came down a certain mother that way, and when she saw him, she passed by on the other side.

And likewise his teacher, when she saw him the next day, came and looked on him but had no time to help.

But a certain family friend, when she came to visit, came to where the child was, and when she heard about his project, she had compassion on him. She went to him and sat down beside him, pulling the work between them and took the pencil in her own hand and helped him.

And later, when she departed, she told the child that she would love to help him again if he ever needed it.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was mother to that child?

Comments

Carolyn said…

Just so you know: I didn't write this story as a direct reflection of any kids or recent events. I wrote it because I was reading the story of the good Samaritan in the book of Luke and thinking about the wonderful women who have been like mothers to my boys, especially those who have no children of their own but have gone the extra mile for mine. Christ calls the Samaritan a "neighbor" even though he does not live anywhere close to Jerusalem; he says that we are *all* neighbors. I see a parallel in that to the language we use in the church about all women being mothers. To you women who have cared for my boys, who have taught and played with and listened to them: you have mothered them. Thank you.

October 9, 2016 at 11:48 AM

Cake for Breakfast!

I was getting dressed when it suddenly got very quiet out in the living room. Soren had been contentedly babbling a moment ago and now it was silent. I'm sure you can imagine me, rushing half-panted down the hall, hoping nothing horrible had happened. At our last visit, my pediatrician filled my mind with horror stories of infant death; now gruesome scenes were flipping through my mind like a slide show on speed. Or like the scary tunnel in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". Expecting a disaster, I was relieved when this was what I saw in the living room: The night before, I'd left a slice of left-over cake on the arm chair. We'd had company and Soren had been in bed. When I'd forgotten it at the end of the evening, it had been far from my son's greedy grasp. But this morning, when it was still left behind, it was within easy baby reach and too unusual for him not to explore. No wonder he was so quiet! He'd been experimenting with an unk...

Milestone: New Syllable

This feels like such a silly thing to report about but it's got me tickled pink. Today Soren learned, what I feel, is the most important of all the English syllables: "ma". And it's about time. After months and months of hearing nothing but "da da da da" all day long, it's a refreshing change. I'm pretty sure that "da da" and "ma ma" don't correlate to anything in his mind yet. Still, he's that much closer to calling me his "mama" and I can't say the approximations don't warm my heart.

Birth Announcement

Sven Immanuel Duede March 7, 2013 at 3:56 am 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 22 inches

Mom Remembers

Search This Blog