Week 6.

A dear friend of mine attended a meeting with Sister Julie Beck, and shared this insight:

"...Something that stuck with me (among many things) was that she spoke about a mother's many shifts--the night shift, morning, day, afternoon-evening or the "swing shift." A mother works all the shifts; however, the most important and impacting shift is the afternoon-evening "swing shift." This is when our kids get home from school, they are hungry physically, spiritually and emotionally. She said, "Don't become so busy during the day that you are wiped out during the most important shift of the day."

Reading this statement was the greatest blessing of my week. And it's not too much to say that it has changed my life. The "swing shift" has become the focus of my mothering. This week as I took Olivia to viola lessons, I had the thought that even here, in the car, I needed to "feed" her, just like Sister Beck taught. I reached over and took her hand and just smiled at her. I told her I loved her and just held her hand as we drove. The tears started to fall down Olivia's cheeks. She confided some problems she was having with her friends. I listened and advised (a little), but mostly just listened and told her how much I loved her. It was like magic. I had no idea that she was hurting or worrying. But making a space to love and feed my daughter was all she needed to share her burdens. I was so grateful for the inspiration of the spirit, for the teachings of a good and righteous woman that have already blessed my life in countless ways, and most especially, for this moment of mothering with my girl. Heaven was not far away.