I always wanted to be a great mum. I wanted to be a mother who nurtured her daughter to be her best possible self. I wanted her to know there were so many possibilities and she could work out ways achieve them. I wanted my daughter to grow up confident, with pride and self-assurance. I planned on being the mum who would show her daughter the way.
Instead, she's shown me the way.
I've been blessed with a girl who walks tall and proud. Who's confident of herself and what she can achieve. She's confident that she's loved and nurtured and cared for.
That's a blessing.
I thought I'd teach her so much - instead - she's taught me.
♥ I was going to 'fake it till I could make it'. I swore I'd never utter a negative word about my body - or anyone else's - in front of her. And you know what? That taught me to love and appreciate my body more than I ever had before.
♥ I wanted her to see positive, loving role-models in her parents - and by speaking respectfully to my husband in her presence it taught me that that's the way it should be.
♥ She's taught me that there's nothing more magnificent than being greeted by someone who's genuinely delighted to see you {although I do draw the line at squealing my friend's name and running and jumping into their arms - that could be dangerous}.
She wants to be a famous dancer who travels the world and returns to her apartment in Paris. She wants to write in her spare time, and play netball in those other moments. When she retires from dancing she's coming back to Australia and buying a farm in the Southern Highlands. We're allowed to visit.
She sees a world of possibilities - and makes me realise what's out there - if you open your arms wide enough.
♥
I adore this post, it's made me want to open my own arms wide enough to give the world and all it's possibilities a great big hug. For more hugging, make sure you stop by Pink Patent Mary Janes for a chat sometime soon. Thank you for joining in my "What my children have taught me about myself" holiday week, PPMJ.
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At the risk of sounding like the guy on the infomercials with the steak knives: don't forget that every comment this week goes into the draw to receive a special giveaway prize (prize announced Friday, winner announced sometime next week after I work out how to use the random winner generator...).