Augie is sitting in the front room, his leg dangling over the arm of the couch. He is absent-mindedly crunching on his snack when I walk in and jolt him from his thoughts.
“Mom,” he asks me, “if you were going to be the best at anything, what would it be?”
I think for a long minute before deciding on my answer, verbalizing the feelings and emotions and energy that is all at the core of everything I do and strive to do every single day.
“I would want to be the best at loving my family,” I tell my son, “at taking care of you all and being the kind of wife and mother God wants me to be.”
I’m getting a little emotional, thinking about how amazing it would be if God gave me the magical powers to be that kind of person — how I could change the world and shoot the moon and maybe, just maybe, have a chance at being a saint. To have that kind of love! What a life.
“Hmmmm,” Augie responds thoughtfully. “I was going to say Parkour.”
Ah yes, Parkour. We have been loving Parkour ever since Fr. Tim sent us that first video showcasing its amazing powers. Life has not been the same since.
(Which is why I sorta kinda want a trampoline and also absolutely in no way whatsoever want one.)
In a sense your answers and your son’s are quite similar and relevant. It could indeed be considered Parkour that inspires you to get your husband and each of your children from the beginning of the day to the end in creative ways that others would feel and recognize as requiring superhuman strength, patience, and grace. The Holy Spirit I’d say is the best at Parkour and by far the best sidekick/superhero for moms.
That’s about what my answer is when my kids ask what I want for my birthday. I wax eloquent about how I have their dad, awesome kids, our faith and that’s all I need. Cricket…cricket… “No really, Mom, what do you want?”