The MOMents Matter: Letting Her Last Baby Go

Sharing mutual stories of motherhood with my fellow young mamas in the trenches is SO important, encouraging, reassuring, beautiful and hilarious. But one of my other favorite things is learning from the older mamas, the wiser women, the real sages—the ones with the full-blown battle wounds on their bodies and hearts, the toughest yet softest souls, and the years on years of experience showing: “Hey, girl. It’s worth it. Every moment. Hang in there. Being a mom is THE MOST significant.”

I’m so honored to share this guest post from my own mom, one of the wisest and most loving women on earth, and definitely one of my great heroes of faith. So proud to call her my mama and so proud of her mad rhyming skills. (Now I know why I love writing poems so much.)

I hope that her words touch your heart.

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The MOMents Matter

A Guest Post by Rhonda Beylik

Two weeks ago, I had a moment, and by moment I mean MOMent, one of the many life-altering “MOM moments” that have marked my 31 years of motherhood. My baby, my son of 22 years, the youngest of my four children, got married.

At the reception, they called me out onto the dance floor for the Mother/Son dance. I walked out onto the dance floor and I put my arms around my son’s shoulders—and I looked UP into his eyes; not down anymore, not level, but UP.

As I looked up into the big brown eyes of my man-child, he looked back with sheer adoration and said, “Mom, I love you. Thank you for everything.”

As the bittersweet farewell of those precious words washed over me, I assure you that the last thing on my mind was, “Oh man, I wish I would’ve kept a tidier house,” or, “I really should’ve spent more time at the gym getting in shape,” or, “I wish I would’ve travelled more, furthered my career, organized my drawers and closets.”

Not for one split second!!! All I could think was: “My time with my son under my watch is gone; the season is spent. I’m not the woman in his life any more. Did I spend it well? Did I make the most of the time I had with him?”

The moments of his life flashed before my eyes; all those MOMents, how can they be over? Didn’t they just begin? I couldn’t shake it as I tossed and turned in bed that night. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, I gave up on sleep and the Lord urged me to pen my heart. His revelation was sweet, tender, and urgent…

The MOMents Matter

They called me to the dance floor for the dance that changed my life
My son was now a groom, time to release him to his wife
As I looked into the eyes of my “no longer little” boy
My heart was overwhelmed with great sadness mixed with joy

For the man I saw before me didn’t happen just by chance
It was the adding up of MOMents that led us to this final dance
The tucking into bed at night, reading stories and a prayer
The jumping on the trampoline, ”Mom, you can flip” he’d dare

Driving on the fieldtrips, to the skate park, and the beach
Oft with so many kids, the seatbelts wouldn’t reach
Toilet papering escapades, late talks into the night
Playing the mediator, as siblings sometimes fight

Feeding the precious “wolf pack,” as I duly named his friends
Their hunger for pizza, food and snacks, I thought would never end
The endless pile of beach towels strewn about and filled with sand
The times he’d fall and could only rise with the help of mommy’s hand

Let’s not forget the drums, and the practice of the band
I learned to love their music and became their biggest fan
My house became a movie set, as they made a music narrative
They flooded the garage, the water scene imperative

Oh how the MOMents matter, it now is crystal clear
That every single one of them is precious, rare and dear
The MOMents matter, even though they often seem mundane
They matter more than any other passing earthly gain

For each and every MOMent made him the man that he is now
As he stands before his bride and makes a solemn vow
To love, to honor and cherish the new woman in his life
To leave his MOMents all behind and cleave unto his wife

Yes, the MOMents matter, oh mothers, spend them well
They will come and go so quickly, but what a story they will tell
Cherish every single one, invest them and you’ll see
You will reap a great reward for all eternity

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