Brave.
Hello my darling daughters,
Mom here. My little heart is near bursting with pride for the two of you and I wanted to stop and share some words of wisdom. Hey now, quit that snickering. I can be serious when an occasion calls for such behavior.
I've seen major bravery, perservearnce and stick-to-it-ness in the last week and I wanted to jot down some thoughts about why such qualities are so admirable.
The Primary Program
Brynn, Sunday was your first speaking part in the Primary Program. You practiced and seemed very excited. When you heard the song right before it was your class's turn to go up on stage, you turned a shade of green, never before seen on your sweet face. You looked at me in wide-eyed horror and mouthed the words "I can't do it."
"Yes, you can!" I mouthed back. "You'll be great."
"No" shaking your head vehemently. "No, I can't. I'm sick."
"You're not sick. You know your part. You are ready! You can do it!"
"Come with me," you mouth.
And with my heart cracking into a thousand tiny pieces I whisper, "I can't."
You look as though you are marching off to your doom. To an impending execution. Head bowed low, you hold your stomach and climb the stairs toward the podium. You look back at me once and I put on my biggest smile and nod, but truthfully I feel like I might throw up. Watching your fear is pure torture.
You bravely take to the podium and say your part. No problem. My eyes well with tears because you did it! You were scared. You didn't want to, but you did it. The part was great, but the bravery was breathtaking.
Yellow Belt Karate Test
Gracie-bear, tonight you tested for your yellow belt in karate. You've practiced for weeks, trying to get each form just right. In the last couple of days, you've talked a lot about how nervous you are, but today, the day of the test, you hit the roof.
You walked in the door from school, threw your bag and coat in a heap and said "I can't remember it, so I'm not going." Sobbing ensued. We rocked and talked and got you a snack (low blood sugar is not your friend, kid. Remember that when you are older. If you are unreasonably losing it, you need an apple).
You got dressed. You got in the car. You entered the karate studio and immediately went to back corner to practice. I don't think you took a breath for at least the first 20 mins. But you looked perfect. Every move. Every attention. Every form. You nailed them all.
When it was your turn to demonstrate, you walked up and did it. You didn't second guess yourself, didn't get upset when the kid next to you turned the wrong way. You just did it. I say the same thing to you, bear, the forms were flawless, but the bravery was stunning.
When I watch them hang your new, hard earned yellow belt around your neck, well this time I couldn't control my tears. The ache I'd had in my heart, worrying about you all day, that ache was replaced by a swell of parental pride the likes of which I've scarcely felt before.
So what's the lesson in all this?
The lesson, my lovelies, is that you are brave and strong. You know how to work. You know how to do hard things and even when you've got "nerms" you can still do them.
Sometime in your lives you are likely to forget how tough you are. You might doubt yourselves. You might wonder if you are brave enough to face a challenge.
Don't wonder.
You are brave and then some.
Always,
Mom
Mom here. My little heart is near bursting with pride for the two of you and I wanted to stop and share some words of wisdom. Hey now, quit that snickering. I can be serious when an occasion calls for such behavior.
I've seen major bravery, perservearnce and stick-to-it-ness in the last week and I wanted to jot down some thoughts about why such qualities are so admirable.
The Primary Program
Brynn, Sunday was your first speaking part in the Primary Program. You practiced and seemed very excited. When you heard the song right before it was your class's turn to go up on stage, you turned a shade of green, never before seen on your sweet face. You looked at me in wide-eyed horror and mouthed the words "I can't do it.""Yes, you can!" I mouthed back. "You'll be great."
"No" shaking your head vehemently. "No, I can't. I'm sick."
"You're not sick. You know your part. You are ready! You can do it!"
"Come with me," you mouth.
And with my heart cracking into a thousand tiny pieces I whisper, "I can't."
You look as though you are marching off to your doom. To an impending execution. Head bowed low, you hold your stomach and climb the stairs toward the podium. You look back at me once and I put on my biggest smile and nod, but truthfully I feel like I might throw up. Watching your fear is pure torture.
You bravely take to the podium and say your part. No problem. My eyes well with tears because you did it! You were scared. You didn't want to, but you did it. The part was great, but the bravery was breathtaking.
Yellow Belt Karate Test
Gracie-bear, tonight you tested for your yellow belt in karate. You've practiced for weeks, trying to get each form just right. In the last couple of days, you've talked a lot about how nervous you are, but today, the day of the test, you hit the roof.You walked in the door from school, threw your bag and coat in a heap and said "I can't remember it, so I'm not going." Sobbing ensued. We rocked and talked and got you a snack (low blood sugar is not your friend, kid. Remember that when you are older. If you are unreasonably losing it, you need an apple).
You got dressed. You got in the car. You entered the karate studio and immediately went to back corner to practice. I don't think you took a breath for at least the first 20 mins. But you looked perfect. Every move. Every attention. Every form. You nailed them all.
When it was your turn to demonstrate, you walked up and did it. You didn't second guess yourself, didn't get upset when the kid next to you turned the wrong way. You just did it. I say the same thing to you, bear, the forms were flawless, but the bravery was stunning.
When I watch them hang your new, hard earned yellow belt around your neck, well this time I couldn't control my tears. The ache I'd had in my heart, worrying about you all day, that ache was replaced by a swell of parental pride the likes of which I've scarcely felt before.
So what's the lesson in all this?
The lesson, my lovelies, is that you are brave and strong. You know how to work. You know how to do hard things and even when you've got "nerms" you can still do them.
Sometime in your lives you are likely to forget how tough you are. You might doubt yourselves. You might wonder if you are brave enough to face a challenge.
Don't wonder.
You are brave and then some.
Always,
Mom
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