The Sun Above You

This week I found myself trying to convince my baby that a mother has an inherent right to go to the bathroom. She disagreed. Because why on earth should I ever have to leave her side? As I relayed this to a friend, she said it doesn't improve much when your kids get older. They just bang on the door, or worse, try to talk to you under the door. I watched a four-year-old today, and sure enough, I had not been in the bathroom but a few moments when I heard, "Are you done yet?" Frustrating, yes. Flattering? Also yes. 

I spent yesterday at the hospital with my husband's family, waiting while my mother-in-law had her spleen removed. My sibling-in-laws traveling from every direction to be near their mom at this precarious time. The surgery took much longer than expected, and we spent over six hours in the hospital waiting room, well, waiting. Thankfully the surgery went well. All of this brought to mind a devastatingly beautiful quote: 

There's a reason why our kids don't want to leave us alone, even for two minutes while we go to the bathroom. We are the suns our children orbit. They understand their place in the world in relation to us. We give them direction, reassurance, and best of all light. 

It's difficult and satisfying to be so needed.