My father says I am. My co-workers say I am. And they don't mean physically. Do I feel strong?
No.
My father means it in the general way, as in, he told my son "She is different and she is strong". My co-workers mean it in the way I care for Sarah. All I do with her and for her, I guess. The thing is, I find it such an odd statement. I am strong. Am I? I don't feel strong. Why do they think I am? It implies that taking care of Sarah is HARD, difficult.
Here's what I do feel. Confident. I feel confident. In the way I raise my children. All my children. I am good at it. I love doing it. Mothering. It has 'me' written all over it. I was meant to do it. And that includes any kind of child. At any age.
Enter Sarah Scott.
I am curious why taking good care of Sarah is seen as 'strong'. Would they do any different? Like, not take care of her? What would an 'unstrong' person do? Seriously, what would they not do? Feed her, change her, teach her, protect her, advocate for her?
I am well aware that it is intended as a compliment to me. That I have taken this challenging experience and done well with it, handled it, strongly. I think that's what they mean. But, I think what they really mean is that they aren't sure if they would be up to the task. But the piece they are missing and don't seem to understand is that it isn't a task, an experience or a hardship.
You don't need to be strong at all. You just need to love. That's it. Just love. For me anyway. The rest comes naturally with absolutely no effort.
Well...except for that 70 pound lift multiple times a day :) But according to the doctor she is keeping my back healthy and strong!
So, I guess that's what I want to share. It is a joy, a privilege. And children such as Sarah are a big positive, not a negative. You don't need to be strong to do it. Not at all. You just need to love her. And she makes that irresistably easy.
Period.
It's that easy, even for the weak:)
