Parental Worry

I received this from my mom in an email!  Oh, soooooo true!
But thankfully I can turn that worry into prayer:

Philippians 4:6
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.








WORRY
Is there an imaginary cutoff period when
Offspring become accountable
For their own actions?
Is there some wonderful moment when
Parents can become detached spectators in
The lives of their children and shrug,
'It's Their life,' and feel nothing?

When I was in my twenties,
I stood in a hospital corridor
Waiting for doctors to put a few stitches
In my son's head and I asked,
'When do you stop worrying?'
The nurse said,
'When they get out of the accident stage..'
My Parents just smiled faintly
And said nothing.

When I was in my thirties,
I sat on a little chair in a classroom
And heard how one of my children
Talked incessantly, disrupted the class,
And was headed for a career
Making license plates.
As if to read my mind, a teacher said,
'Don't worry, they all go through this stage
And then you can sit back,
Relax and enjoy them.'
My Parents just smiled faintly
And said nothing.

When I was in my forties,
I spent a lifetime waiting
For the phone to ring,
The cars to come home,
The front door to open.
A friend said,
'They're trying to find themselves.
'Don't worry!
In a few years, they'll be adults.
'They'll be off on their own
They'll be out of your hair'
My Parents just smiled faintly
And said nothing.

By the time I was 50,
I was sick & tired of being vulnerable.
I was still worrying over my children,
But there was a new wrinkle..
Even though they were on their own
I continued to anguish over their failures,
Be tormented by their frustrations and
Absorbed in their disappointments..
And there was nothing I could do about it.
My Parents just smiled faintly
And said nothing.

My friends said that
When my kids got married
I could stop worrying
And lead my own life.
I wanted to believe that,
But I was haunted by my parent's warm smiles
And their occasional,
'You look pale. Are you all right' ?
'Call me the minute you get home'.
Are you depressed about something?'

My friends said that
When I became a grandparent
That I would get to enjoy
The happy little voices yelling
Grandma! Papa!
But now I find that I worry
Just as much about the little kids
As the big ones.
How can anyone cope
With all this Worry?

Can it be that parents are sentenced
To a lifetime of worry?
Is concern for one another
Handed down like a torch
To blaze the trail of human frailties
And the fears of the unknown?
Is concern a curse or is it
A virtue that elevates us
To the highest form of earthly creation?

Recently, one of my own children
Became quite irritable, saying to me,
'Where were you?
I've been calling for 3 days,
And no one answered
I was worried.'
I smiled a warm smile.
The torch has been passed.



Comments

  1. I enjoyed this very much! As a worrier, I have just this past year really gave my son over to the Lord (always would, but took him back every time a problem came up, LOL). Now I just say "I trust you Lord; you know what is best, I trust you will lead and guide him and protect him". And lots of prayer!!!!

    thanks for sharing!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  2. I reckon that's one of the nicest posts I have read in awhile. Thank you
    Hey! I'm a new follower and you have a very elderly cat.Mine, (Ebay) is about 7 now. he was rescued from shelter, so the age is approx. See ya around the bloggyhood!
    Laurie from Grandma Sez So

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad you were touched by this article that was sent to me by a friend. It is soooo true to life that I had to send it to you, for I know your concern for ALL your kids...those away from home where you can't keep an eye on them OR have control over their lives. Now you know what we have gone through [and still go through] concerning our children...and now our grandkids.
    I don't "worry", but continue to have concern, and each one is upheld before the throne of Grace often, if not daily.
    love you much...and stay "concerned" now for your PARENTS!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I reckon that's one of the nicest posts I have read in awhile. Thank you
    Hey! I'm a new follower and you have a very elderly cat.Mine, (Ebay) is about 7 now. he was rescued from shelter, so the age is approx. See ya around the bloggyhood!
    Laurie from Grandma Sez So

    ReplyDelete

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