This cedar waxwing visited our home and made himself really comfortable!
In one of the Little House on the Prairie books (maybe On the Banks of Plum Creek?), Laura disobeys Ma by going to a dangerous creek crossing to do some exploring. She almost gets swept away.
When she finally returns, Ma explains that Laura has lost her freedom for one day. Instead of running out the door after breakfast chores to play with Mary, she must stay where Ma can watch her to make sure she makes good choices.
At the end of that (long) day, Laura decides freedom within boundaries is better than no freedom at all. She chooses her freedom.
Before we left for our summer adventure, one of my children was having trouble choosing their freedom. I helped by keeping this child close to me most of the time--not exactly as a punishment, but in more of a "this is what you need right now, and Mommy always gives my kids what they need."
Now we're back home, and I've explained that I'll be watching to make sure good choices are made. If not, we'll hang out together again for a while so I can help.
Before this child leaves to go play each day, I say "Make sure you choose your freedom."
One afternoon after saying this phrase, I realized it's a good mantra for mothers too.
The freedom to be who we were made to be in this world lies with us, and leads to joy. But just like Laura learned, we have to choose it. We do so by accepting our boundaries, our constraints, our limitations even.
Freedom is on my heart these days because I want all of us--my kids, myself, my readers--to recognize, honor, and revel in our uniquenesses.
(If you could use a freedom pep talk, I think you'd enjoy my ebook The Steady Mom's Freedom Guide.)
“Order without liberty and liberty without order are equally
destructive.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt
