A couple of years ago, my family and I hiked to Lake Twenty-Two. It was a strenuous climb, with quite a bit of vertical elevation gain.
We arrived at the lake mid-morning … around 10am. Everything was socked in with fog!
I had never been to Lake Twenty-Two before, so I had no idea what it was supposed to look like. Looking out across the lake I could see some snow on the far side. But other than that, I didn’t know what was “hidden” in the fog.
Motherhood is a lot like this! It’s a strenuous climb, with a lot of “vertical elevation gain” [aka: maturity] involved.
Just like I had never been to Lake Twenty-Two before and had no idea what it was supposed to look like, so also in the same way when we have never been a mom before, we don’t really know what motherhood “looks like.”
As we hold our brand-new little baby in our arms, it is a lot like when I stood there seeing Lake Twenty-Two for the first time. I didn’t know what was on the other side of the lake. In the same way, we don’t know who our little baby will become. We don’t know what greatness their life will hold. It’s all “hidden in fog.”
As my family and I walked on the boardwalk around the lake, the fog began to lift slightly. Oh wow! There’s an enormous rock wall on the far side! I had no idea! I couldn’t see it at all at first!
In the same way, as our child begins to grow through toddlerhood, we likewise begin to see personality traits we never saw before. We see strengths in our child we didn’t know were there. And we think: “Oh wow! They have character traits for leadership … or character traits for empathy & compassion … or character traits of curiosity & discovery … etc. etc. … I wonder who they will become?”
My family and I hiked all the way around Lake Twenty-Two as the morning progressed. And as we did, the fog lifted, and the sun came out. The lake became clearly visible. And we enjoyed the views from all angles around the lake!
This right here is what parenting/motherhood is like. As we journey through life together with our child it’s much like hiking all the way around Lake Twenty-Two. We see the “fog lift” (so to speak) and we see the greatness unfold and be revealed in our child.
Who they were made to be, becomes clearly visible!
As we “travel around the lake” (journeying through life with our child) we enjoy “views” of their life from all angles around the lake. We enjoy “views” from the angle of their school years. We enjoy “views” from the angle of their high school years. We enjoy “views” from the angle of their college years. We enjoy “views” as they launch into their careers and beyond. Etc. etc. …
Motherhood starts out like this …
And eventually winds up like this …
Thank you God for the beautiful gift and the joy of motherhood!
