IF I HADN’T BEEN A MOM

What would life have been like, I wondered
if I hadn't been a Mom?
If God had never placed a baby
In the shelter of my arms?

If I hadn't been a Mom
I probably would not have cried so much
I surely would not have laughed so much
I definitely would not have loved, or been loved, so much.

If I hadn't been a Mom
I wouldn't have had the chance to be
A hero, saving the day
A fashion consultant, explaining why some things just don't match
A nurse, comforting the sick
A general, rallying the troops,
A teacher, shaping young minds,
A detective, searching out truth,
An explorer, seeking lost treasures,
A missionary, sharing the gospel of Christ.

If I hadn't been a Mom
I would never have
Been loved unconditionally by a five-month old
Snuggled under a special blankie with a two-year old
Sang veggie tales songs with a four-year old
Had a tickle fight with a five-year old
Found a willing and able helper in a seven-year old
Received a one-of-a-kind original masterpiece from a nine-year old
Been beaten in chess by an eleven-year old
Been instructed in the top Christian artists and their latest songs by a
thirteen-year old
Had my book-reading record broken by a fifteen-year old
Or been prayed for faithfully each night by a sixteen-year old.

I would have missed out stargazing, water-hose tag, read-alouds,
dancing, birthday parties, and Christmas mornings full of joy.

If I hadn't been a Mom
I wouldn't have had the chance to fall in love with my husband
Time and time again as he kissed a tiny baby
Or danced with a little girl
Wrestled with little boys
Or took young ladies out on their first dates
And taught young men what it means to be a man.

If I hadn't been a Mom
I wouldn't have to read Amelia Bedelia or play "This Little Piggy"
numberless times
I wouldn't have to wipe crayon off the walls
Scrub Play-Doh out of the carpets
Or spot-treat countless little clothes.
I wouldn't find old diapers under my car seat,
Rocks in my washing machine,
Or my toothbrush on the floor behind the toilet.

I wouldn't have had to make last-minute searches for shoes,
Fix hundreds of ponytails,
Wipe thousands of noses,
Clip millions of fingernails.

I wouldn't have been drooled, thrown up, pooped and peed on.
I wouldn't have come to think of the bathroom as my private sanctuary
Or settled into the dentist's chair with a sigh of pleasure
At the prospect of thirty minutes of peace.

But if I hadn't been a Mom
I wouldn't have been given butterfly kisses
Or felt baby hands clasped around my neck.

I wouldn't have received love notes
With questionable spelling
But matchless expression.

I wouldn't have enjoyed wildflower bouquets
Or head rubs
Or been the object of so many radiant smiles.

I wouldn't have received
An encouraging word, a hug,
Or an act of service just when I needed it most.

I wouldn't have shared heart-to-heart talks
With aspiring young film-makers,
Computer experts, artists, writers, interior decorators,
Chefs, gardeners, singers, architects, ballerinas, engineers, inventors,
Explorers, horse-trainers, and future Daddies and Mommies.

I wouldn't have a front-row seat to the blossoming of future
world-changers
And the pleasure of living with my very best friends.

If I hadn't been a Mom I wouldn't have heard a child cry "Mommy!"
If I hadn't been a Mom
I wouldn't have been challenged
To love Christ more,
Trust my Father more,
Listen to the Holy Spirit more,
Repent quickly,
Speak carefully,
Forgive graciously,
Give generously,
Be truer, braver, freer.
I might never have plumbed the depths of my own weakness
And found, at the bottom, the miracle of God's grace.

So for all you little girls—
Hold fast to your baby dolls and love them well.
And to you big girls
Standing on the edge of life's great adventure,
When you hear the lie, as you surely will,
That life is too short to be lived
Within four walls
Washing dishes,
Changing diapers,
Cleaning up messes,
Teaching ABCs,
And being the center of a whirlwind of noise and activity,
Don't pay it any mind.
Take it from someone who has gone before you
That, although whatever road God takes you down in life will be blessed,
There is no richer journey than the one you will find
If you are one day privileged
To be a Mom.

Jenny Hutchins, Mother of 10.

Painting: Evert Pieters (1856 – 1932, Dutch).