I hope you also stand up for the right things and people and you’re not afraid when you do it.
As I sit here and rock you to sleep tonight, I want you to know that I’ll always protect you the best I can. I’ll ease your discomfort while you’re teething, hold you anytime you need it, and even put myself in harm’s way just to keep you safe.
But someday you’ll face adversity, just as we all do, and I won’t be right there beside you. You’ll have to navigate those waters on your own. It could come in the form of a mean kid on a bike when you least expect it, or it could be from your boss at work.
No matter what, I hope you’re slow to anger. I hope you respond gently but firmly after you’ve thought through your words.
Adversity is hard to explain at your age. It’s like when Peter Rabbit lost his shoes in Mr. McGregor’s garden and later snagged his jacket in the gooseberry net. After that he was trapped! (All of this happened because he disobeyed his mom, but that’s a story for another day.)
When we’re faced with adversity, we know we’re being refined, or made better, by God — as long as we run to him for the solution. Isaiah 30:20 talks about “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.” As Christians, we need adversity and affliction to survive just as we need bread and water.
I hope you smile in the face of adversity, knowing that you’ll be stronger because of any hardships you’re facing.
It’s a hard lesson but a necessary one. You’re so small right now that this isn’t something we should worry about today, tomorrow or the next day. Sure enough though, you’ll be learning this lesson before long.
I love you to pieces. Sweet dreams.
Mommy
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This piece originally appeared at raisinbabies.com, published with permission.
