The Hand That Gives

          

This is the had that gave and still gives today.  It is the hand of an abundance of love, compassion, a hand that empathized, sympathized, accepted and healed.  It is the hand of my mother's. Unquestionable, undeniably that hand that guided me as a child is still guiding me as an adult. Her hand and heart are still guiding me today through the joys and trials of today.

 
My mother and I do not live in the same state. Since the day I became a married woman I have never lived close by, usually a good 10 hours away from the casual  knocking of her door.  I have spent many hours talking on the phone with her sharing my life with her and hers with me.  Each morning we make a call to one another and have our morning coffee together sharing our past day and what is anticipated to come.  It is the only way in which we remain connected in our day without the physical presence.

 
One day as I was visiting her we were driving around town trying to find a place for me to do a photo shoot.  Trying to find an unusual or quaint subject matter was hard that day.  I believe it is easier to find what you are looking for when your are not actually searching as was the case this day. We stopped on the side of the road this day when my mother saw a local farmer selling his goods.  My mother loves getting her vegetables and fruits from local farmers. She loves the perfect home grown tomatoes.  It was then that I snapped the shot with my camera and it wasn't until later that I discovered the beauty in this picture.  My mind was flooded with memories of how her hands raised me, loved me and healed me.  When looking at her hands I feel a sense of tranquility, history and an undeniable love for her.

As a mother myself I have had to try to fill the shoes of my own mother.  It is not an easy task and I don't suppose I will ever fill them quite like her.  However,  just recently I have had to help my daughter "shelf" some profound fears that she was experiencing.  I'm not sure if I am doing a very good job in helping her cope with these fears because I too live the fear that she is enduring.  In comforting her, holding her and loving her, I as a mother  have to assure her through my faith that God will take care of all things.  In expressing this belief to her I have to believe this myself or my words are only words. 

 
My  mother showed her belief through her hands.  Her hands were the instrument of her belief in God.  Her hands give through understanding as they hold and comfort and give. Sometimes in my mothering I think I always have to verbally express my thoughts to my children when really all I need to do is just listen and comfort with my hands, eyes, ears and heart. This is quality of love that my mother has and is one in which I wish I could quickly acquire.

I think I will share this beautiful quote with my daughter that I found from St. Francis de Sales, he states "Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow.  The same Everlasting Father, who takes care of you today, will take care of you tomorrow.  He will either shield you from suffering, or give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations."

I hold my daughter's joy and pain in my hands as does my mother who holds mine.  Today I offer no advise but only action as I take my daughters pain and fear and offer it to my Lord and ask  my Lord like my own mother does, to shield us from suffering and give us strength to endure.

 
Come hold my hand daughter.  Let’s take a walk..