Mother, Father, You Are Not Failing

I saw you lose your patience this morning and blame yourself the whole day because of it, replaying the scene over and over in your head. I also saw the silent comparisons to other mothers, other fathers, who seem to handle everything with a calm smile on their face, as if they never yelled, never got it wrong. You think you're failing at the most important part of your life.

Listen closely to what I want to tell you: raising a child is a daily fresh start, made of trial and error, not a single test you pass or fail all at once. There is no perfect parent, only a present one, willing to try again. I don't look at your mistakes from yesterday afternoon; I look at the love that makes you apologize to your child, that makes you try again today, one more time.

Your children are an inheritance from me, lent to you for a set season. I am in this raising right alongside you, covering your shortcomings, teaching through your own imperfect attempts. Breathe deep right now. Start over this very afternoon, if that's what it takes.