Burdened with Glorious Purpose

I don't often talk about my kids here. This is not a mommy blog, by any stretch. If you want parenting advice, I'll leave that up to the so-called experts, the ones who can tell you how to feed and dress and nurture your children. Believe me, this is the last place you want to come for that kind of advice.

But allow me a few moments to get philosophical, or as much as it gets when one is quoting super villains.

I've never given much thought to this whole Mom gig. I don't relate to those things you see on facebook about how wonderful mothers are, how selfless and sacrificing and amazing. I don't 'like' and share with 20 of my friends because I'm a mom and I'm made of awesome.

I have my kids, and they have me. It's that simple.

So why am I talking about this now?

In two weeks my oldest child will graduate from high school and be unleashed upon the world. She is the guinea pig child, the one who suffered through my mistakes, and taught me what I needed to know. She has gone from a sweet and terrible little girl to a beautiful, charming, and frustrating young woman. Those years snuck past and I'm left in awe of the person she's become.

This mile stone has me thinking about my three, my little army of minions, and my role in their lives. While I'm sure organic, gluten-free diets and brain stimulating toys are great, I haven't focused on those kinds of things. The way I see it, I have two responsibilities as a mother, and everything else is icing.

My first job is to help my kids be happy with the people they are. I want them to be the best they can be, but to be themselves in the process. Magneto said it best: "If you're using half your concentration to look normal, then you're only half paying attention to whatever else you're doing."

But my responsibility doesn't end at our doorstep. It is my job, my purpose, to make sure my children are thoughtful, respectful, contributing members of society, and to know that you only get out of something what you put into it.

I want them to be good people, better than I am, and to make the world a better place for having them in it.

This job is tough and it's scary. Sometimes, you've got to be a super villain to get it done. We can all only hope that I'm doing at least some of it right.

At the same time my oldest graduates, my boy will make the giant step from middle school to junior high, and my youngest will finish the first grade. I still have some time with them, and I want to get it right.

So Loki, hand over that helmet and scepter. I've got a job to do.