Today I popped over to a friend and we decided to take the boys for a bike ride.
Eskom was treating us to a few hours load shedding and my phone was at home, uncharged, which it normally never is.
We still remarked at how neither of us could record the moment as we didn’t have our phones.
At some point Hamish wanted a different bike so she ran back, while I watched the boys and ,not only grabbed the bike but her phone as well.
It was a fun 30 minutes and we spent more time running after the two boys than we did walking down the path. ( Someone remind me just how fast threenagers can ride those little push bikes)
The boys were excited and we were truly just in the moment as the zipped and zoomed down the path.
She managed to grab a few pictures and I thought I’d pop her a message after Hamish had a nap and grab a picture keepsake of his playdate with his bestie.
What I got was this image ….
I stopped and looked at it again and again.
Not because I was, as I normally am, highly critical of my extra weight or flabby arms. Not because I had no make up on or that my bra was at home. Not because I am running in pumps or sporting a super sporty mom bun.
No!
I stopped and stared because I don’t remember the last time someone caught such a candid photo of my very real and exhausting, totally fun and exciting mom life.
So, regardless of the fact that I am positive you can see the grey in my hair and my butt gives Kim Kardashian some competition ( in size not curves lol) ….
I think it’s my favourite photo this year.
Why?
So often as moms we capture everyone else. We are the memory makers and keepers. We go out of our way to preserve a moment, capture a sliver of time or take a photo because we know someone will want to look back at it someday.
But when it comes to photos of ourselves, we are not as generous with our thoughtfulness.
Our own photos are mostly selfies or posed portraits after we have bribed the teenager, removed the toddler from strangling the cat and threatened our husbands to ” Just smile damnit!”
My photos
I spend much time with Hamish but very few moments where I’m in the photo. Even fewer of the moments where I am playing with him, reading to him or baking mud pies.
We have no images of the countless books we read, or the bedtime snuggles. I have no photos of the towers we build or the flowers we have grown.
These are the moments I treasure. The moments he will one day look back on. These will be the unphotographed moments.
These are the moments, as moms we will miss and long for. These are the moments that as we, one day, glance through those albums of our child engaged with everyone …but us, we will wish someone had thought to take for us.
Give a mom a priceless moment
So, when someone catches a glimpse into my real mom moments ….that to me is priceless.
If you see a mom playing with her child, capture that moment for her . Help her see just how beautiful she is as she meets her child in play.
