March 6, 2023 | Rachel Benjamin
There are black bears that live in the woods behind my house. I’m a little afraid of them. I’ve been told that they’re harmless, that they can smell me from 100 yards away and that I’ll probably never actual see one. I’m less afraid of being out in the woods and seeing a bear in my path. I’m more afraid of one of my kids running into a bear cub, because I know that once a Momma bear fears for her cub, she’s no longer harmless.
I’ve never been exceptionally brave. I mean, I think I to do daring things – like try new adventures or travel. But as far as scaling a mountain or riding a bull or even trying the bungee-jump-rollercoaster-thing. It’s never been my cup of tea. I don’t even wish I could do those things. Actual, I often wonder why people do those things? Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane? I don’t get.
But there is something super-hero-ish about becoming a mom. Instincts that you didn’t know existed suddenly emerge. It’s like there’s another set of DNA that comes alive when you become a mother. DNA that instinctually tells you to run into the fire rather than away from it.
My sister grew up afraid of large dogs – actually so did I. My sister got married six years before I did and she had four adorable little girls. One day a large stray was chasing her youngest daughter, and she charged that dog. She can still claim that she’s afraid of dogs, but her actions proved otherwise. I remember thinking she was fearless.
When my first son was born I remember sitting in the hospital and wondering if I could actually do this. Could I raise a human being? Be responsible for keeping him feed, watered…alive? If I’m being honest, up until that point, I hadn’t been able to do that with a fish…or even a plant. How was I supposed to take care of this 8lb human life – especially once my husband went back to work? Then it was all going to be on me! I was scared. Not to say I didn’t, or don’t still make mistakes, but he’s been fed and watered and alive for six years now. By the grace of God, I’m doing it. I don’t always know how… There are days when I’m so tired – I never before realized how long my eyes lids could stay open. I didn’t go into the medical field very specifically because I didn’t think I had the stomach for everything that was required of doctors and nurses. However, when the stomach bug hits, this internal nurse instinct takes over and my stomach somehow survives the clean-up.
God has designed the female body to grow, birth and feed a new life. This is amazing. It is the closest thing, in my opinion, to a superpower. There are some who would disagree with this statement, try to belittle the miracle of motherhood, or even portray it as a weakness rather than a strength. I think those are futile lies. Any mother knows the truth. Motherhood is a super-power given my God, part of his design, to help create, sustain, and cherish human life. Motherhood is a gift, and -even on the hard days – being a Mom is always worth it.
