Friday, April 17, 2009

Derrick's Mom

We run into each other every week.  Her son is in the swimming class after my son.  But this week was different.  This week I saw her.  

She was easy to miss.  Her son commands attention.  He is big, loud and talks all the blessed time. He is a wonderful, loving boy who is profoundly delayed.   She is as quiet as he is loud and usually  blends into the background.  

Derrick is fascinated with my two year old, so my encounters with him and his mom have often been all about keeping my little one safe as Derrick is unaware of his strength and lacks the social boundaries of most eleven year olds.

We've been sitting together for eight weeks now and I don't even know her name.   But last week was different.  Maybe it was the sigh she let out as she settled onto the world's most uncomfortable bench in the cramped viewing room.  I'm certain she wasn't aware of it, but the sound penetrated my wall of busyness and I looked again.

I no longer saw a quiet women with dowdy clothes and roots that really need attending to.  I saw uncertainty.  I saw a mom who has ambitions and hopes for her son but they may never get realized.  I saw a woman who may attend a graduation but not a wedding.    Someone who will help her son get a job but most likely never a career.  Someone who loves her son deeply and knows that most of the world will never truly understand him.

I saw her weariness, her frustration from dealing with a system that thrives on red tape, and her fear for Derrick's future.

But most of all, I saw a mother.  I saw love in action as she tenderly re-directed her son, shared delight as she watched him jump into the pool, and an abiding joy that sprang from just being Derrick's mom.


This post is an entry to Scribbit's Write-Away Contest.  Visit her on April 21st for a run-down of all the entries, including the winners.

23 comments:

Scribbit said...

What a touching post, I could see her right there in front of me.

a Tonggu Momma said...

This one made me cry. Wonderful, just wonderful.

Dawn said...

Wow. Good for you to take that moment to really SEE her. Divine appointment? Yup.

Middle-Aged Moi said...

SO good. Don't we all need to actually SEE people more?

Sandier Pastures said...

A really good one! Congratulations on winning the write-away contest at Scribbit!

Flea said...

I love this post. What is it about not seeing things? All the time.

Jen at Semantically driven said...

I could see her too and I wonder if some of her is in all of us at some time or another.

Carrie said...

Wow, great post. Congratulations on winning. I hope this inspires us to look around & find mothers that need encouragement in our lives.

Elizabeth said...

Congrats on winning! You tell such a great story!

Unknown said...

congratulations - what a thoughtful post!

Angela Nazworth said...

What a beautiful and touching post. Congratulations to you!

shoutingforha said...

I found you via Antique Mommy. This was absolutely beautiful!

Jennifer said...

What a beautiful story!! Congrats on winning! Well deserved!

Inkling said...

beautiful post....you had my imagination totally there with you...thanks for sharing your heart

Missy said...

This is absolutely beautiful! I've been looking for something to publish in our church newsletter about motherhood. Could I use this story? Please email me at mquittem@knowingthesavior.org and we can visit more. Thanks so much!

Melissa Stover said...

great post. congratulations!

Pam D said...

Came here via Antique Mommy.. what a gifted writer you are! I'll be back....congratulations on your win.

Alison said...

Lovely. This is a wonderful tribute to Derrick's mom.

charrette said...

This is filled with lovely observations. And I especially love the ending.

Carina said...

Beautiful! There are so many Derrick's Moms out there, and now we'll all think twice about them.

Knittinchick said...

You won!!!! Woo hoo!

Antique Mommy said...

Loved it. Totally.

lifebythehandful said...

What a great post! Congrats on your win, it is well-deserved.