Happy birthday, my sweet boy.

 

Five years ago today, I was cracked open, body and spirit.  After 33 grueling hours of labor, my son finally emerged and I became a mother.

Those first few days were raw, full of powerful emotion. A new, expanded sense of love opened me up to a new level of vulnerability and potential heartbreak. I remember crying uncontrollably because he would someday go to college and “leave us”. Ah, hormones.

I remember the intensity of that time so vividly - as my body healed and my heart stretched. Time stopped and the meaning of life seemed clear and simple… to connect with each other on a soul level, to love freely with a tender heart, to simply savor the experience of being fully, richly alive.

sammy-bornBecoming a mother tore me open and reconstructed me anew. It changed my definition of happiness. Made me determined to figure out how to simplify, be more present, value myself and my time more, dig deeper.

Today, I thank my sweet boy for the transformation, the reminder of what life is really about, and the adventure of each new day we are lucky enough to spend here on this earth together.