mitochondria,
my mother and i –
c h r o m o s o m e s (pair, 23);
composed cellular [de]construction
and mothers, mothers –
trace back along the DNA strands
of mitochondrial m i g h t ,
and my mother,
my mother,
is someone
i haven’t appreciated
for years.
i never planned to invite her to
the parent vision trip – where parents come onto the field with
us – (…i’m almost thirty, why would i need
my mother to c o m e ?)
this is my adventure –
and then someone asked me,
what if it isn’t about you?
what if it’s about her?
…
my mother told me that when the staff
asked her what they could pray for about this trip
before she left, she said:
“that i would understand my daughter’s heart and she would understand mine.”
because if we’re being honest, maybe
we’ve never really understood one another –
& in the last few years i have not
appreciated anything about my mother
she annoyed me.
everything she did was wrong.
she was just so embarrassing –
but this week?
this week… i saw my mom in a
completely different way.
this week i saw my mom
through God’s eyes.
…
my mother (the real world racer – )
showing me how it’s done.
she stayed with a host family and in the morning while she
was having coffee, the little seven year old girl came to sit with her.
and then they did that
every single day she was here even
though it meant my mom had to get up earlier-
and the little girl drew her a picture and made
her peanut butter toast and told her about the new
barbie movie and her purse and walked her to the church –
my mom took extra time to make a little girl
in some little town in romania feel known, seen, loved
i m p o r t a n t
and it wasn’t even “ministry.”
it took my mother to remind me
that ministry isn’t 9 – 5
it’s a lifestyle
(it’s p e o p l e)
it’s the way she treats everyone
how she fits in like she’s always been there
how she doesn’t see our walls as something
to keep her out, but just something she might
have to climb over in order to get to you.
…
having the opportunity to watch her this week
talk with her about the things on our hearts –
i found that –
all those things that bothered me before,
don’t bother me anymore.
in fact – i love them.
i love the person she is and who
God made her to be
the things i thought were her weaknesses
are actually her s t r e n g t h s –
her b o l d n e s s
(like a sledgehammer)
“you see a problem and move to do something about it.”
“your mom doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“i love your mom.”
“your mom is so freaking cool.”
“your mom could walk in a room and make anyone feel comfortable.”
– she rolls with the punches and goes with the flow
she is genuine, compassionate, and has such a big heart
this week her concept met my concrete
(but there are no cracks in our sidewalks)
mitochondria: the part of each cell that produces
the energy current (ATP ATP ATP)
& r i b osomes translate mRNA in mtDNA
(wo)men born from the sliver
of a r i b (cage)
maternally,
inherited.
(you have my heart and i have yours).
thank you.