Traffic Cop

Sometimes as a mother of a busy family, I feel a lot like a traffic cop. If everyone drives ahead at their own speed there will be chaos and disaster. It falls on me to see the big picture and direct the traffic. Who gets priority and who gets patience? Whose needs do I serve when all they each see are only their own needs? How do I tune out all the honking and whining, and keep a clear vision to guide everyone safely where they need to go? How do I protect myself when road rage gets the better of any of them and I’m in their path? The difference between a mother and a traffic cop, though, is that I deeply love each driver. And I’m not just interested in getting them through one intersection, but running beside them to the next and the next and the next. It’s amazing that kids can be so oblivious to just how much their parents really do for them. And nothing brings it all screaming in front of you as much as becoming a parent yourself. So, for what it’s worth, thank you, Mom and Dad. Thank you for the patient, consistent way you’ve always guided me (even when I honked and yelled at you). ["Showing the Way" 6x6, available here: https://www.stephaniehock.com/originals/showing-the-way]