We’ve all heard the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
I never knew how true this is until I became a mother. I went into this role thinking I could do so much on my own. I quickly learned two truths postpartum:
1. I can do more than I thought I had the capacity for.
2. I can’t do it all by myself.
I’d like to thank the village that is helping to raise up not just my two boys, but also me. When my children require so much of me, I lean into you for strength, endurance and love.
To my parents and siblings, I couldn’t have raised these kids this far without you. You are here at a moment’s notice. You spent the night down the hall with the baby so I could sleep between newborn feedings. You’ve been our sole childcare because we haven’t been brave enough to hire a babysitter outside the family. And you love them like your own. I am forever grateful.
To my friends, you made us meals (that thoughtfully and instinctively included desserts and wine) when we brought our newborns home, you checked in with a simple “How are you?” just when we felt defeated, and you continue to hold our baby so we can just get one. thing. done. with two hands.
To my pediatrician and her nurses, you take the time to listen to these worried, overwhelmed parents like we’re your only patient of the day. When I called with concerns about my baby for the fourth time in a month, you asked thorough follow-up questions and listened with genuine empathy that brought tears to my weary eyes.
To the grocery store cashier, thank you for recognizing me, smiling and waving on a morning when I have no other adult interaction, for waiting patiently while my 2-year-old scans our rewards card, and for finding someone to carry the groceries to the car when my kids filled the cart. Thanks for the smiley face stickers that made their day, too.
To the childcare volunteers at our church, thank you for caring for our crying kids so we can worship in peace every Sunday. It’s so hard to get out the door on a Sunday morning, but the comfort we feel when entrusting you with our little ones reminds us why we come and allows us to soak up the spiritual refreshment our tired souls crave.
To the moms who went before me, I’m sorry I didn’t understand the changed life you were navigating as new parents, while this single, childless woman wondered why you couldn’t join us for happy hour. Thank you for imparting wisdom to help me register for things I’ll actually use, and for patiently listening when I complain about the trenches you’ve risen out of.
To the friends I’ve made through my postpartum fitness journey, thank you for making me feel strong when my body felt broken, and for reminding me that pregnancy and delivery are more about what my body is capable of than what it no longer looks like.
Thank you all for the love and kindness you’ve collectively poured into helping me raise my children and into making me a better person.
Who in your village deserves a “thank you” today?
