My life seems to require this ability to stretch. Every time I think I've got things figured out, life smacks me around. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. As a wife and a mother, the ability to be elastic is--a survival strategy, if nothing else. Of course, people who aren't wives or mothers need the ability too. Since motherhood is providing the flexibilty-requiring-event of the day, just call me Elasti-Mom!
I had plans today. I've been volunteering at the Salt Lake Temple for the past six months--every Tuesday morning. This morning, though, Jessica had a seizure when I woke her up for school. I don't know what triggered the seizure. She doesn't usually have them in the day time, and having them in the morning is extremely rare. Especially since the last seizure she had was Sunday night. (For those of you who are new to this blog, I have a daughter with autism and epilepsy.) Her seizures had a pattern once. But it seems that every time I take steps to treat her epilepsy, the patterns change. Thus, the need for me to change my schedule at a moment's notice so that I can be there for her. Elasti-Mom!
It's discouraging sometimes, to feel like you have no control over your life. I've decided that I like writing fiction because of that element of control--I can decide, for the most part, what my characters do and what the results of their choices are. In fiction, I can orchestrate the other characters in the novel and make sure that somehow, their lives collide in ways that benefit everyone. In real life, I'm not the orchestrator. I'm just one of the instruments, and I'm sight-reading my part. Never seen it before, never heard the melody. I just plug along, hoping the wrong notes I hit don't mess up the whole piece.
Thus, the need to be stretchy. If I were stiff and dry, like an old, unwaxed violin bow, I'd scratch against the strings and create a horrible sound. Be soft. Be pliable. Follow the notes as best you can, and embrace the music you make. Find joy in the journey. Be stretchy!
-A Note from Elasti-Mom
Elasti-Mom, I totally knew you were a superhero!
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