I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a ball. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it hurts.
My friend's look makes me realize in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I say finally. Then, squeezing my friend's hand, I offer a prayer for her and me and all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this holiest of callings.
The true meaning of the bumper sticker, which says, “Live long enough to embarrass your kids” has new meaning once you have a teenager. My daughter just turned 15 and suddenly I am now the most embarrassing person she can be seen with. Rather than take this personally I have decided to revel in the power it gives me.
Of course many of you have had the “You aren’t wearing THAT” argument but I turned the tables on my daughter. She was wanting to wear midriff tops and tanks with bra straps showing … both of which I had been carefully taught were fashion no-no’s. The other day I picked her up from school and stopped at the grocery store. “Mom! You can’t go in dressed like that!” “I am staying in the car!”
Imagine ... a 50-year-old dressed just like her 15-year-old, and she does not want to be seen with me. Well ... I admit the embarrassment was worth every moment...she has now dressed a bit more conservatively. She HAD to go in the store with me as it was too hot to sit in the car. It was a priceless moment that also was a bit cheeky of me to enjoy so much.