a mother's touch

       My thirteenth year of life was horrible.  I was changing from a girl into a woman, and I felt everything and everyone was against me. 

It was Christmas Eve and none of my clothes from the year before were fitting, and I could do nothing with my frizzy curls.  I cried for at least an hour after stomping up the stairs in utter frustration with my mean mother who did not understand me at all!  Then came the gentle knock on the door.  My mother had a red turtleneck and a beautiful white fuzzy sweater across her right arm; "May I come in?"  She came in and helped me dress; then we went to her room where she did my hair and even did my make-up.  She then let me borrow one of her necklaces.

Everyone was waiting downstairs for us to come down so we could open presents.  As I walked down those stairs, I felt like the most beautiful girl on the entire planet.  I felt like everyone on the whole earth was watching me descend down the stairs (not just my family).  I have never felt more beautiful in my whole life.       

The other day, I saw a picture of that Christmas Eve.  I remembered feeling so beautiful, but as I looked at the picture, I just saw a plain girl in her mother's sweater with frizzy curls. 

So what had made the difference? 

My mother's opinion of me.  Her time and attention and her care, along with a few complements, I'm sure, made me feel like a beauty queen.

Never underestimate the power of a mother's touch.

Comments

[DebD]

What a lovely remembrance. It made me cry.

[Cahleen]

What a beautiful story! I want to be a mother like that one day.

[Sherri D.]

What a tribute to your mother. I hope to have had the same impact on my two daughter's. God bless you!

[carleigh]

hey, thanks for your comments on my blog. the advent calendar sounds really cool. although i will miss a few days this year, i'm going to try to make something like that. and loved the story of your mom. it's a good reminder of how important we really are to the healthy self image of our children!

[Sarah]

Hey I remember that Christmas! And I remember thinking how beautiful you were that night and that outfit along with the make-up, sitcks out in my mind - so you were beautiful to others as well!! And maybe it was also how you were feeling that made you so beautiful too!

[Deb]

Amanda ~ I loved this post. It makes me want to be that type of extra-loving mom to my girls. And, in fact, at this moment my almost 24 year old is needing lots of sick care. She is about the sickest she's been with a terrible cold, and I am running up and down the stairs to care for her. I love taking care of my family but long to see her smile again.

Would you say a prayer for Hannah that the Lord would really touch her body and make her well again? Thanks so much!