Parenting is full of opportunities for profound gratitude. Just being able to conceive a child is a miracle in itself. And then to grow a healthy child, have a safe delivery, and watch that child grow. Being a parent has brought deeper, bigger gratitude than anything I’ve experienced in this life so far.
It’s also brought little gratitudes that I never saw coming. One of these I experienced last week at my daughter’s 6th birthday party.
She is my oldest so she is the one that’s helping me to figure out all these new stages of growing and parenting. One of the new developments in this stage is the presence of “friend birthday parties”.
Since her birthday falls in June, and since this was our first year in school, we got invited to more classmate and friend birthday parties this year than ever before. I think we had one month in which we had a birthday party to attend every weekend for the entire month.
Like any kid her age, she loves these parties. And as a parent, I’m unbelievably grateful that she is invited to opportunities like these, even when it feels like one more thing to add to our busy schedule.
But the real gratitude came when it was time for her own party.
I got caught up in the planning: booking the venue, ordering the cookie, organizing balloons, making party favors, scheduling activities, sending invitations, managing RSVPs, etc. When party time arrived, I was fully in the “getting shit the zone”. But once the festivities had kicked off, I paused a moment to look around and take a breath.
And I realized that each one of these kids’ parents had taken the time to shop for a gift, wrap that gift, and transport their child to the party on time. Just so that they could come celebrate my child. So that she could have a special day that was in celebration of her.
It may not seem like a big thing, but it is. It’s a big, big thing. And I’m unbelievably grateful.
So to all you parents out there who showed up for my child when you didn’t have to: thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.