In 1983 when my Mother, Janet Andersen Ray, was Arizona’s Mother of the year my seven sisters accompanied her to the Waldorf for the national convention. I stayed home having just given birth to my daughter AmyLyn. My mother kindly assured me I was having the greater experience. 27 years later my seven daughters are here in NY with me while sweet AmyLyn is home with HER new baby! I assured her this time with complete confidence that SHE was having the greater experience.
On my flight home from meeting this precious child and watching Amy perform so capably the many facets of motherhood I thought of each of my daughters, who are now mothers themselves. My heart was filled with grateful awe as I recalled how each of these women gives an extraordinary effort to the ordinary tasks of every day living: Teaching, guiding nurturing, encouraging; all important facets of motherhood.
I thought also of the 42 grandchildren who benefit from their mother’s extraordinary efforts. Sweet Andrew with Down syndrome needs tremendous sacrifice from his family for him to be able to even eat and walk. I thought of the children whose experiences with depression and divorce require them to continually learn that through love and forgiveness confidence in self and family members can be restored. I remembered when the death of a precious grandson created opportunities to teach children lessons in faith, endurance, and compassion. In each difficult moment, as life’s challenges and joys were shared in loving but imperfect homes, the facets of motherhood were being polished and shined.
In a recent conversation with my girls someone shared a verse by Henry David Thoreau which said:
"It is something to be able to paint a picture, [or] carve a statue… but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look... To affect the quality of the day that is the highest of arts."
Isn’t that what mothers do?
That day, our reflections led us to the realization that through all the mundane and exhilarating moments of motherhood our greatest contribution is to affect the quality of each day by creating in our homes an atmosphere of love and encouragement.
The little things we do—the facets of motherhood are polished to a brilliant shine as do so. And the result? A multi-faceted diamond—the precious gem we call family.
Carol Soelberg grew up in mesa, Arizona. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Education and married her husband, James Soelberg in 1969. Together, they have thirteen children and forty-one grandchildren. Carol believes a mother's role is to create an environment wherin her children can reach their full potential. With this focus, she shared with her children a love for God, service, music, learning and liberty. Carol has served as President of United Families International and has lobbied at the United Nations and spoken around the world about family issues. In 2006, Carol and Glade were named National Parents of the Year. Carol feels nothing is of greater importance than being with her children and their families who are themselves contributing members of society.
Posted on
Thu, May 6, 2010
by Carol Soelberg
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