Seven years ago tomorrow at 9:50 in the morning my life actual meant something for the first time. He came screaming into existence and turned mine from a narcissistic indulgence into something that actually mattered. To raise him, I thought all it would take was love. I had no idea… Parents never do. Or else, we wouldn’t reproduce. My cousin Sharon once described motherhood as having your heart walk around outside your body – you have no idea how to care for it, but you know you can’t live without it and now it is exposed to the world and you would give anything to protect it.
This little boy amazes me every day. I am so proud of who he is as if I had something to do with it. I think he is this remarkable despite of our preposterous mistakes. He has a way of bringing his innocence into my world like the light of perspective I was always missing.
Growing up I spent time as “Missy Saunders” or “Moose.” Eventually, I became “Mrs. Katz” and later even “Mel”. But there’s nothing I love more than going to my boy’s school or camp or birthday party and hearing someone call me by the name that identifies me more than almost any other when they call, “Micah’s mom!!”
Happy Birthday, Micah. Mommy loves you, Mommy loves you…
