Sunday Scribblings {Instructions}

At first I wasn't certain what direction I wanted to take this week's prompt.  A busy weekend left me with little opportunity to really think much about it.  Couple that with having to recover from the massive amounts of sugar and grease I consumed at the fair and well, you have a Sunday Scribblings post that never materialized.  But then I had  a memory of an experience I shared with my son this summer and it fit with the prompt.  I think I've mentioned the experience before but I've never written about it.  Maybe it was waiting until this moment.

A Mother's Instructions to Her Son On His First Time Wading in a Cold Colorado Stream and How it Parallels with Life...

The water is cold.  So cold it feels as if it's burning your feet.  Dare to stay in the water.  Give your feet a chance to adjust to the change in temperature and soon the temperature won't be an issue.  Your feet will be a part of the water just like the rocks and the fish and moss.  It's like life: there will be times an experience will chill us to the bone or burn our heart.  Dare to stay with it.  If you're brave enough to feel it, all of it, soon you will be a part of it and it will be a part of you.  It will loose the power to burn and chill.  It will be yours to use as you want, as you need. 

The rocks are furry and slippery.  Take your time.  Move slowly.  Let your feet find balance before moving to the next rock.  If you feel yourself loosing balance stick your arms out.  Use them to help you regain your balance.  And if that doesn't work, if it's too late and you know you're going to fall, fall forward.  It's easier to try and catch yourself this way.  It's like life:  we often have to maneuver slowly through new and unfamiliar situations.  Use your trust in yourself as your balance.  And if you feel yourself falling and there's no way to stop, don't fight it, let the falling carry you forward, deeper into your understanding of yourself.

Some of the rocks are jagged and can easily cut.  Try to avoid these rocks if you can.  They can wound easily and have the potential to cause you to loose balance.  It's like life:  you have an inner voice that can help you navigate the jagged places.  Listen.  Trusting your intuition can save you a lot of pain.

When you step down into the sandy places dig your feet into the bed of the stream.  It gives you more traction and a firmer foundation to stand on.  Get one foot squarely situated and then move to the next one.  It's like life: digging into yourself, into your life, having the courage to see yourself, know yourself, and be yourself is the only way to build a true foundation.  Digging into your life may not give you all the answers but it gives you the questions worth living and it gives you a relationship with yourself that is honest and grounded.

The rocks and fallen tree limbs can give you something to hold on to when you take those risky steps.  Some of them are looser than they appear.  Test them out first.  If it's firm don't hesitate using it to assist you with your movements.  It knows the water better than you do because it has been a part of the water longer than you have.  It is a gift of the stream.  It doesn't make you weak to reach out for help.  It's like life:  there are others who have been placed in your life as a gift to you.  Their life is there to touch and bless yours.  They have knowledge and insight you don't.  Don't hesitate to reach out.  When grace is offered always accept it without doubting whether you deserve it or not.  Grace sees the truth of who you are and meets you at that perfect place of being.  Hold out your hands and mutter a prayer of gratitude.

Hold on to me if it gives you courage.  Let your weight hang on me.  I'll support you.  Until you are comfortable, let me hold your hand.  But I promise you this, you can do this by yourself.  You don't need me.  You only need to learn to trust your own movements, your own instincts, your own abilities.  It's like life:  I will be there to support you.  Lean on me when you need the extra strength, the extra assurance.  But I promise you this, there is nothing your spirit is too small for.  You are bigger than you can ever imagine.  Even when it seems too overwhelming, too impossible, too dark and suffocating, you can because you are able.  Lean on me until you can stand on your own.  I'll hold you.  Then slowly let go of my hand.  You'll find strength you never knew existed.  It's there.  Just waiting.  It's your birthright.  It doesn't come from some outside source.  It's inside of you.

Comments

[deirdre]

Amazing words to gift your son with. Michelle, this is just beautiful.

[MB]

Beautiful.

[angela marie]

oh my!! This is absolutely beautiful....just beautiful. I am speechless.

[Laini]

Your little one is so lucky to have your loving guidance as he discovers the world. This post made me think of the wonderful Kahlil Gibran piece "On Children" -- "You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far." I get chills.

[snowsparkle]

michelle, what an incredibly amazing piece! i love these instructions... mother to son. wow!

[gkgirl]

such a poetic guide
for life....
beautiful

[krista]

love this.

[krista]

love this.

[eileen]

i'm taking your words to heart today... my spirit ate up the words and i guess my younger self needed the encouragement.(i'm fortunate to hear the message even if i can't live it each day) the power of a guide in our lives is awesome.

[Summer]

This is just beautiful and I love the photo.

[C. Delia]

Lessons are everywhere, if we're wise enough to look for them...as you are. So beautifully written here.

[madness]

Lovely, Michelle. I really love the photo too.

[kristine]

I love this!

[Ali la Loca]

This is the sweetest thing, Michelle. It's good not only for little ones, but for me as well here in Africa. Lots of good lessons.

Thanks!

[Sam]

Oh, well, there's not much I can say about this. It's too magnificent and real and lectia divinia, so I'm going to let it settle within me. It says so much of what I'm discovering - the balance of listening to yourself.

[Melba]

Beautifully written. I hope somewhere there is a hard copy of all you have written for your son so he can experience your talent and and take in your wisdon.

[Darlene]

Oh Michelle ~ This was priceless. I will never forget this lesson and look forward to one day getting to tel it to some special child in my life.

Thank you Thank you, so much for sharing :)

much love,
xxxd

[Bridget]

How incredibly beautiful.

[Colorsonmymind]

Oh my dear...you have such a way about making me cry-

May I print this and carry it with me?

You must give this to him printed when he goes off to college someday-or wherever he goes. But this my dear is so beautiful-so true-so enlightening-so loving.

It was such an affirmation to me today.

Love you
XO

[bonnie]

This was really beautiful. Your son is so fortunate to have you as his mom.

[tinker]

I think these are my favorite scribblings this week.
Thanks for such lovely instructions.

[tongue in cheek]

You never deny to give your best to us! Thank you for your wisdom dear dear Michelle!!

[huberama]

Powerful writing. Thank you for such a wanted post.

[Marilyn]

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! It was so visceral that it took me back to all the times I've had my feet in the icy cold Smith (the river in my home neck of the woods). No wonder it's always felt so healing. Its crystal-clear water and rapids and smooth stones and pebbly sand were guiding me through life...I just didn't know it. ;)

[Dan]

Wonderful post...now he just needs a flyrod... best part of Colorado streams is the trout fishing.