Perhaps the single most rewarding thing....

Perhaps the single most rewarding thing we value as woman are relationships. While men find their significance in their work environment, it is the nature of women to find our significance within the context of relationship.  We are created, designed, predisposed to spend a great deal of time establishing & nurturing those connections.  It occurred to me while I was preparing to speak with a group of MOPs (mothers of preschoolers) last week, that story is the most powerful resource that we instinctively use to build relationships and intimacy one with another.  When you think about it, we think in story, we communicate, we plan, we dream in story.The first questions we ask when meeting someone new are designed to give us context for that person's life...who are they, what do they do, where do they live, where are they from...the answers help us paint a picture, a story of that person.
 

It’s a matter of fact, we are all deeply impacted by the stories we hear.  Stories of both tragedy and triumph engage us on deep levels beneath the surface of the masks we sometimes wear.  They build bridges that connect our minds and bind our hearts together, leaving us forever changed.  It is this intimacy that enriches our lives, making us better for it.  But intimacy that cultivates tender hearts, strengthens family and knits lives together requires time and nurturing. As busy women, moms and leaders, what does this look like?  Someone once said, "you can tell a person's priorities by looking at their calendar and their checkbook."  I encourage you to analyze both and find those pockets of time and money that can be filled with relationship-building activities.  Spend an hour with a friend in need treating them to coffee rather than buying that latest cutest pair of shoes.  Be creative in engaging your husband in "I wonder" dialogue.  Turn off the TV and say, I wonder how you felt watching our son catch his first football, I wonder what motivated you to become an attorney, policeman, teacher, etc..., I wonder what is your favorite memory from your childhood.  Stop the hustle and bustle of mothering and sit on the floor with your child or at the table when they come in the door from school and ask them some of those story questions...what do they want to be when they grow up, what do they dream about, what do they imagine the color purple taste like? 

Another way to cultivate deeper relationships with our children is to share our own stories.  During the course of this last year, I have spent a great deal of time preparing a book template for mothers to easily document their their hopes, their dreams, their fears and their passions.  It was created in collaboration with Shelly Radic, the author and interim President of MOPS International and provides questions that help you explore your journey to and through motherhood.  This will become a treasure for your children as they one day walk the path of parenthood.  - Virginia Dixon