What Really Counts
When we first started thinking about making the move back to my hometown of Hayesville, NC there were a lot of people who thought we were just flat out crazy. The endless comments about how small it was, what it didn’t have, what we would be missing, lack of this, lack of that, the home we were leaving, and the list went on and on and on.
Let me just say, I am a thinker by nature who can quickly get in my own head and worry about EVERY little detail. So..when these comments were made, that’s exactly what happened. My mind and Mama heart went crazy with worry about impact to my daughter. I shed so many tears thinking and worrying about my daughter and what was best for her future.
When I finally took the time to step back from it all and really looked at the things that were being pointed out to me, they were just that. They were all things that could be physically counted in some way or another. While I knew those things mattered, they weren’t what mattered most to me.
What I wanted most for my daughter were those things that I felt were so priceless that they couldn’t be counted. I wanted that hometown where people knew my daughter by name. A place she could wake up and really breathe in the fresh mountain air. A place should could walk in the woods and see wildlife at every corner. A place she could grow up with cousins her age and make memories that would last her a lifetime. A place who came together under the Friday night lights and a place who loved you no matter how much or little you had. I wanted her to feel at home around every corner.
While my values may not be the same as others, they are mine and they are what I dreamed of giving my daughter since the first pink line appeared. So here we are, back at home, and living the life we hoped for and with a little girl we never stopped praying for.
Category
Community Matters
We once formed communities because we knew we needed each other. Then, technology came along, and with the click of a button, we tried to replace those connections with convenience. The pandemic showed us that because we can literally have everything delivered to our doorstep, we still need each other and need to be connected to our communities.
We need those people who “get” us and those who can give us a firm shoulder to lean on when life is swirling around us. Our children need these communities to help them thrive and know they have a support system behind them. Small town, big city, or whatever community you claim as your own, we need each other, and our community needs us.
More Than Just A Game
This weekend sports did what sports has always done…. In a time when people find it hard to come together and often struggle to see anything positive, a small town boys basketball team became more; they became a light in the darkness. They showed us that standing together is possible, even when the world tries to keep us apart.
Be The Imperfect Mom
The man upstairs knew that your kids and friends would need the perspective, life, and love that only you can offer. You are the most imperfect perfect mom and friend that those around you need in their life to help them grow.