Our eldest, nine years old, and I were at the table last night around 10 p.m. I was letting him stay up late for no reason other than that it is nice to spoil a child now and then. If I spoil all four at once, they seem to gang up on me and expect it more often. If I spoil only one at a time, it is our secret, so nobody finds out about it. Spending time with them one-on-one is one of my favorite things to do, and yet I have to talk myself into noticing that I haven’t done it in a while! Why is that??
Anyway, our boy decided to make some hot chocolate. He was sitting at the table, noisily slurping it from a spoon. I was engrossed in a book but decided to put it down and join him. I wondered where our conversation would go, as it always leads to interesting places when he is my companion.
To start it out, I asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
The answer changes almost weekly. He said, in a too-mature voice, “Well, actchically (he says “actually,” his favorite word, wrong every time), I’m not sure. I might be an inventor, though.“
I said, “Oh, my, you’d make a great inventor,” as I do about all of his chosen occupations. We talked for a while about inventions and things to invent and inventors.
After a lull in our conversation, I heard myself say, “I want to be a writer.”
Brenden, still lost in inventor-thoughts, absentmindedly murmured, “Oh, yes.”
“Wait a minute!” He looked at me full in the face, alert. “You already are a writer!”
There is not a book with my name on it; there is not a magazine masthead with “Lori Seaborg” on it; there’s not even yet an e-book with my name listed as the author…
But our boy thinks I am a writer simply because he sees his mama write.
There is nothing like a child to see you for who you are or for who you have the potential to be.
– Lori Seaborg
originally published for my Keeping the Home blog, 2004
In my heart, and on my knees, I pray the Lord grows me by leaps and bounds…to be the best mother to my 4 dc. When one of them declares, You are the best Mommy, I have immediate hope and I rejoice in His faithfulness to complete this work.
Blessings,
Leslie
for seeing things more clearly than we do.
I bet you just gave him the biggest smile and hug ever! 🙂
Lori, I want to be a writer too. Youre little ones comment reminds me of a story I read once. (If anyone knows where I can find it Id be really appreciative.) It was about a mom who aspired to be a writer. She set up a work area and even had a box labled Acceptance Letters. But she never published anything, never saw her name as the author or as a by-line. She eventually put away the box and continued on with life. When she died, the daughter (who had written the story) found the Acceptance box and fought back tears knowing that her mother never reached her goal to be a writer. She was surprised, however, to find that the box was full. She began reading through the contents and found a multitude of letters thanking her mother for words of encouragement, for writing so and so when they were overseas, for sending a card to this one who was in the hospital. On and on the letters went thanking her mother for her words. It was then the daughter realized her mom was indeed a writer who had touched many lives. I often think of that story when Im discouraged. That story is what its all about…writing for Gods glory one person at a time. One day your children will read the things you have written and find a golden heart for God to inspire them to have the same. (Though I have a feeling well see you in print before too long *smile*.)
Thanks for sharing.
~ Drewe Llyn