As a mother of four beautiful children, I have had no shortage of precious moments, whether they be joyful or staggeringly bittersweet. When I wrote "The Magic Garden" I was deeply contemplating the role of motherhood, and also the special bond among women. I reflected on memories of long talks with my mother after I came home from school, eager to tell her about my day, cooking lessons with my very own Betty Crocker cookbook, and late night work sessions as she expertly constructed my prom dresses and eventually my perfect wedding dress. I savored the sweet memories of watching my children blossom and grow, laughing when they laughed, crying when they cried, wishing that I could capture those moments in time and never let them go.
I thought of how my most sacred moments in life have involved my children. Health issues have given our family an extra dose of humility. There is nothing more humbling or devastating than watching a child suffer. So many nights have I held my frail daughter in my arms, wishing more than anything that I could take her pain away. To love someone so deeply is a blessing from heaven, but it comes with a dear price, for to see that loved one suffer is like being wrenched in two. The grief of a mother is the epitome of profound anguish.
In "The Magic Garden," Roslyn is so devastated by the physical trial that her daughter must endure that she is willing to sacrifice anything and everything to see her free from pain. It is the universal wish of mothers. Lily is the recipient of her mother's sacrifice and enjoys the blessing of a beautiful and rich life because of it. However, she does not fully comprehend what it means to have this all-consuming love for another person until she becomes a mother herself. Only then does she recognize the full extent of what her mother has done for her and is compelled to sacrifice just as much for the safety of her own daughter.
At the end of the story, when Lily is devastated at the loss of her mother she witnesses the field of blood red lilies. Upon seeing them, she is finally given a moment of peace. She knows that the lilies are a symbol of the depth of her mother's love for her. Even though her mother is gone, Roslyn's love continues to grow and flourish in spite of the separation of death. Their bond is infinite and eternal. Roslyn gives everything gladly, instilling in her daughter the knowledge that she is worth the sacrifice.
I want my mother to know that I am aware of all the sacrifices she has made for me, her time, effort, and love. Before having children of my own, I did not know what it meant to give all to another living soul in body and spirit. Now I understand what it is to have little pieces of your heart pattering around the house, getting into mischief while trying to grow into their own. I watch these little pieces of me and ache for their success, their setbacks, and their solid steps away from me, but toward their future lives. I hope they know how much I love them. But they probably won't truly comprehend until pieces of their own hearts are walking away to make lives of their own.
It is worth every joyous and bittersweet moment.
I thought of how my most sacred moments in life have involved my children. Health issues have given our family an extra dose of humility. There is nothing more humbling or devastating than watching a child suffer. So many nights have I held my frail daughter in my arms, wishing more than anything that I could take her pain away. To love someone so deeply is a blessing from heaven, but it comes with a dear price, for to see that loved one suffer is like being wrenched in two. The grief of a mother is the epitome of profound anguish.
In "The Magic Garden," Roslyn is so devastated by the physical trial that her daughter must endure that she is willing to sacrifice anything and everything to see her free from pain. It is the universal wish of mothers. Lily is the recipient of her mother's sacrifice and enjoys the blessing of a beautiful and rich life because of it. However, she does not fully comprehend what it means to have this all-consuming love for another person until she becomes a mother herself. Only then does she recognize the full extent of what her mother has done for her and is compelled to sacrifice just as much for the safety of her own daughter.
At the end of the story, when Lily is devastated at the loss of her mother she witnesses the field of blood red lilies. Upon seeing them, she is finally given a moment of peace. She knows that the lilies are a symbol of the depth of her mother's love for her. Even though her mother is gone, Roslyn's love continues to grow and flourish in spite of the separation of death. Their bond is infinite and eternal. Roslyn gives everything gladly, instilling in her daughter the knowledge that she is worth the sacrifice.
I want my mother to know that I am aware of all the sacrifices she has made for me, her time, effort, and love. Before having children of my own, I did not know what it meant to give all to another living soul in body and spirit. Now I understand what it is to have little pieces of your heart pattering around the house, getting into mischief while trying to grow into their own. I watch these little pieces of me and ache for their success, their setbacks, and their solid steps away from me, but toward their future lives. I hope they know how much I love them. But they probably won't truly comprehend until pieces of their own hearts are walking away to make lives of their own.
It is worth every joyous and bittersweet moment.