The MOMents Matter

Last Saturday I had a moment, and by “moment” I mean “MOMent,” one of the many life-altering MOM moments that have marked my 31 years of motherhood. My baby, my son of 22 years, the youngest of my four children, got married. At the reception, they called me out onto the dance floor for the mother/son dance. I walked out onto the dance floor and I put my arms around my son’s shoulders and looked up into his eyes (not down anymore, not level, but up). As I looked up into the big brown eyes of my man-child, he looked back with sheer adoration and said, “Mom, I love you. Thank you for everything.”

As the bittersweet farewell of those precious words washed over me, I assure you that the last thing on my mind was, “Oh man, I wish I would’ve kept a tidier house,” or “I really should’ve spent more time at the gym getting in shape,” or “I wish I would’ve traveled more, furthered my career, organized my drawers and closets.” Not for one split second! All I could think about was, “My time with my son under my watch is gone; the season is spent. I’m not the woman in his life any more. Did I spend it well? Did I make the most of the time I had with him?”

The moments of his life flashed before my eyes—all those MOMents, how can they be over? Didn’t they just begin? I couldn’t shake it as I tossed and turned in bed that night. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, I gave up on sleep as the Lord urged me to pen my heart. His revelation was sweet, tender, and urgent:

The MOMents Matter

They called me to the dance floor for the dance that changed my life

My son was now a groom, time to release him to his wife

As I looked into the eyes of my “no longer little” boy

My heart was overwhelmed with great sadness mixed with joy

For the man I saw before me didn’t happen just by chance

It was the adding up of MOMents that led us to this final dance

The tucking into bed at night, reading stories and a prayer

The jumping on the trampoline, “Mom, you can flip,” he’d dare

Driving on the fieldtrips, to the skate park, and the beach

Oft with so many kids, the seatbelts wouldn’t reach

Toilet-papering escapades, late talks into the night

Playing the mediator, as siblings sometimes fight

Feeding the precious “wolf pack,” as I duly named his friends

Their hunger for pizza, food and snacks, I thought would never end

The endless pile of beach towels strewn about and filled with sand

The times he’d fall and could only rise with the help of mommy’s hand

Let’s not forget the drums, and the practice of the band

I learned to love their music and became their biggest fan

My house became a movie set, as they made a music narrative

They flooded the garage, the water scene imperative

Oh how the MOMents matter, it now is crystal clear

That every single one of them is precious, rare, and dear

The MOMents matter, even though they often seem mundane

They matter more than any other passing earthly gain

For each and every MOMent made him the man that he is now

As he stands before his bride and makes a solemn vow

To love, to honor and cherish the new woman in his life

To leave his MOMents all behind and cleave unto his wife

Yes, the MOMents matter, oh mothers spend them well

They will come and go so quickly, but what a story they will tell

Cherish every single one, invest them and you’ll see

You will reap a great reward for all eternity

—Rhonda Beylik