It’s 7 AM, you smell bacon in the house but you’ve literally never cooked anything in your life. Wait, are those cheese eggs you smell too? What’s going on?
You rush outta bed because it’s late and you’re greeted by an older woman who looks kinda like you. Then you realize you’re 10 years old and the only thing you’re late for is first dibs on morning breakfast.
Mom says, “eat your eggs, they’re good for your brain,” well at least that’s what my mom used to say.
Mom’s are the best, aren’t they?
I mean they literally do EVERYTHING for you until you inevitably grow up, hit puberty, and literally, beg your mom to let you do the laundry so she doesn’t see your “special” socks that somehow stand straight up in the laundry basket (oh, am I the only one on that one??)
I digress…
Moms are great, but they aren’t all great. You see sometimes mom’s can mean well and be the most supportive, but sometimes they can be a little ignorant. Lemme splaineth ye squire.
The thing is, mom’s by their very nature are protectors. They want the best from you and will help you through every and anything, but unfortunately, the truth is that they can’t really protect you from everything.
You see in protecting you from everything you lose your resourcefulness. If your whole world’s a bubble, the second you step outside that bubble your whole world is going to collapse.
So what is it that you can do about this exposure to b.s that is dropped on us on a daily basis in our adulthood? Well, you can do what a lot of people do and succumb to it or you can do what one of my mentors taught me. Search for the truth.
Let’s get back to the story. I was 10 and I wasn’t particularly hungry because I had some friends invite me to a now defunct theme park called Opryland that wasn’t too far from my home at the time in Clarksville, TN. I was excited about the trip but I had a meeting with a particular inverted roller coaster that I wasn’t all that thrilled about.
The whole ride there I was nervous, my palms were sweaty, and I kept thinking about who would attend my funeral. Fast forward a few hours and somehow I got the courage (actually, I was literally pushed into and held in line) to ride what I vaguely recall as the Hangman or something like that.
The whole time I thought “I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die…,” but alas, I didn’t. (go figure) I ended up having a great time and IÂ actually rode that bad boy again. But when I look back knowing what I know now, I wish I’d approached the whole situation a little differently.
The truth is that I didn’t die, yet that thought kept crossing my mind causing me to be apprehensive about a perfectly safe situation. It’s the same thing that happens to millions if not billions of people every day. They experience fear, they tell themselves a story that they made up or they may have heard from someone who might fear for their safety, and they simply bail.
The moral of the story? Don’t listen to yo mama! Nah, just kidding.
Seriously though, moms are really great and we, of course, wouldn’t be here without them. It’s just that sometimes you have to search for the truth in the matter.
Could IÂ have died on that roller coaster? Possibly…but what good would that have done for me to think about that slight possibility? Â When it’s time to go, it’s time to go and no amount of fear is going to prevent that.
Speaking of time, that’s mine. A little longer today, because of my story, but I think it was worth it to let you know that you don’t always have to err on the side of caution. Get out, live a little, and search for the truth that will set you free from fear.
Jerry “I ain’t scared of no coaster” Washington
Great story! And lovely tribute to your mother. And by the way… I also couldn’t wait until the boys could do their own laundry!!
Ha!!! Thanks!!! But what about a mother’s day gift?? Nothing to expensive…socks maybe lol!!
Ha, Jerry, good one. I, too, can’t wait for my kids to do their own laundry.
On the protectiveness of mothers: yes, we are ingrained with that instinct to protect our kiddos from anything. I’ve tried to let my kids make their own mistakes and not help them with everything because one day they will be on their own. But I can’t not coddle them sometimes, because who doesn’t love a little mothering once in a while?
My 6-yr-old has taken to telling me that I’m too overprotective, but that’s usually because she’s not getting to do whatever her little heart desires. Where did she learn that term anyway? That’s what I’d like to know. lol
It’s definitely a delicate balance in how you raise your kids, but you’re always terrified you’re going to ruin them in one way or another. Here’s hoping they turn out well! 😛
Ha! Gotta good laugh on that one. You just hope they know that you’re doing your best, but only know they won’t realize it till they have their own. lol!
I’m sure you’re kids will be awesome, cuz their mom is awesome 😉 Have a good one Amy!
Aw, thank you! So are you. 🙂
I tell my son all the time that he’ll never know how much I love him until he has his own kids. The love is immeasurable. <3
Have a great day!