I don’t know if other people read the Comment section of articles or if it’s just me. But occasionally I like to skim the comments and get a pulse of how other people feel. I check out how many agreed with or opposed the opinions presented in the article. It’s interesting to know where people stand and why. Naturally, I don’t do that for every article I read, just a select few I feel are worthy of a little extra time.
The unknown mom
That brings me to a recent article I read. The author was anonymous but it was written by a mom. She shared a brutally honest exposé of her struggles raising a child with a disability. Needless to say, I was curious what other people thought about the article, so I glanced at the comments.
Now, I never know what I’m going to discover when reading comments. People’s opinions vary greatly. But even that didn’t prepare me for how candid some of the responses were. There were several people who confessed to struggling to cope with their child’s disability. The hopelessness and despair in their words were unmistakable and it broke my heart.
I understand their struggle. I know why they feel that way, and how they got to that place. And I wanted to reach out and tell these unknown moms, you got this. You can do it! Don’t believe the lies that say you can’t. Don’t let your fears and inadequacies rob you of your joy and paint your world in shades of hopelessness.
Being the mom of a child with a disability
Being the mom of a child with a disability is hard. It can get frustrating and lonely sometimes. I know because I’ve been there.
Being a mom of a child with a disability stretches you in ways you never thought possible. But the pain you feel are muscles building meaning your endurance and stamina are also growing. You’re getting stronger, not weaker.
Being the mom of a child with a disability means sometimes you feel alone. But you’re not. There are so many moms who are in the same boat. All balancing precariously on a tiny vessel that feels like it’s on the verge of capsizing. Yes, they are afraid but they are also fearless warriors. They rise up each day and wrestle their demons of shame and guilt. Their bodies bearing the marks of the battles they’ve fought. Bruised and scarred, they continue to stand and not only fight for their children but for themselves.
So to the unknown moms, I say this: This journey is hard but you are stronger and braver than you think.
We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.