Faith | Have you taken note of what makes parenting worth it all?

There’s a school zone I drive through almost every morning on my way to work.

I see lots of parents walking their kids through the crosswalk. Some of those parents are still in their pajama bottoms, with circles under their eyes as they manage a tired smile to the crossing guards.

The kids are holding their parent’s hands, or enthusiastically skipping ahead with backpacks full and bright faces glowing, in contrast to their mom and dad’s less energetic expressions.

In my mind, I often say a quick prayer for the parents and kids as I slowly cruise by the school at 20 mph because I remember being them.

I remember waking up every school day and facing all the obstacles of getting a little kid out the door.

Teeth brushed? Check. Hair combed? Check. Lunch box? Clean clothes? Check and check.

And if its that morning when my kid thinks its OK to take 20 full minutes to eat breakfast when I know we’ve got exactly 15 minutes to make it to the front door of the school before he gets marked tardy, then that obstacle course time just doubled.

Looking back on it now, I don’t know how I made it through a normal work day after sprinting through the obstacle course that began when my alarm went off and ended at the time I stuck the car keys in the ignition with my child in tow.

Just recently as I was driving, I saw a man walking toward the school with a slower gait — head bobbing in that tired way that I could relate to on such a gray day. He seemed to be walking like he was carrying the weight of the world.

In a split second, I caught a glimpse of why that might be.

The most adorable little boy — probably 5 or 6 years old — was hopping and skipping next to him. He was looking up at his dad for approval after every other hop. It was like seeing a ray of light just to watch the pure unconditional love that little boy had for his dad.

It about took my breath away, witnessing that love.

Parents right now contend with all the challenges and stresses that my husband and I did ten years ago when our son was in school — multiplied by about 20.

The parents I see walking their kids to school have done it all, in addition to keeping distance, masking, and monitoring zoom lessons.

If unconditional love is about sacrifice, then this generation of parents have proven their love daily.

But the very next thought I had as I watched that little boy with his father was, does his father see it?

Does that dad see the way his own son unconditionally loves him? Does he see how much his kid adores him — because you, his parent, are his whole world?

I John 4:7-8 says “Let us love one another because Love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God ... for God is Love.”

My hope for all parents right now is that they can look at their own children’s faces and see in them what their own children see; and how God sees them — through eyes of love.