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When Life’s Map Takes You on Unexpected Paths
You know, I’ve always been pretty good at following a plan. My dad used to say my greatest talent was getting just enough done to reach the next big milestone, which honestly makes me a bit sad now. It’s like I was only focused on collecting all the “brass rings” the map laid out for me. By the time I hit my early 30s, I had two prestigious degrees, a loving husband, and two kids—a daughter and a son. Yet, even with everything going according to plan, my life felt nothing like I had imagined. It dawned on me that my obsession with the map was more of a way to keep my sights set on the future—a defense mechanism that the world seemed to reward, but one that came at a steep price. Once I became a parent, I started to realize all the experiences I was missing out on, and I wasn’t willing to ignore that any longer.
I had this realization one sunny day when my 6-year-old son, Liam, decided he wanted to try riding his bike without training wheels. Normally cautious, he had always resisted the idea of biking on two wheels in the past. As a parent, I knew I had to let him take the lead. I wasn’t going to push him.
So, when he expressed interest, we jumped into action. My partner, Jake, removed the training wheels, and off we went to the park just two blocks away, a place filled with countless family memories. We picked the basketball courts as the flattest surface. Jake stood behind Liam, helping him balance while jogging alongside, giving him a little push. I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me as memories of my own childhood collided with the present. Suddenly, I could vividly picture my 6-year-old self, wobbling down a gravel driveway, my dad’s hand on my bike until it wasn’t anymore. I glanced back, remembering my dad’s proud smile before I fell over.
Shaking away the memory, I watched Jake running behind Liam’s small bike. In a moment that felt all too familiar, he let go, and Liam took off.
He was flying.
To my amazement, Liam rode on his own the very first time. When he finally slowed down, hopping off the bike and letting it crash to the ground, his face lit up with joy. He couldn’t wait to try again, and we did just that. I stood back, watching from the side as my shadow stretched across the sunny basketball court, my eyes welling up with tears.
Eventually, we started heading home. Liam wanted to bike the rest of the way, so I ran ahead and waited for him in front of our house. As Jake got him going, I couldn’t shake this sense of heightened awareness. I felt like I was standing at a pivotal moment in life.
Then I turned to see my son pedaling toward me, wobbling but determined, his face full of concentration. The patterns of sunlight dancing through the trees formed a kind of map of their own, and I realized this was my new map. It was unpredictable and shaped by something as natural as the branches above me. This map emerged when I truly embraced a simple, beautiful moment with my children.
I heard Liam shout, “Mom! Look!” and pulled my gaze from the sky to see him riding toward me with a beaming smile. When he finally reached me, I hugged him tightly right there in front of our home—the center of the only map I’ll ever need again.
If you’re on a similar journey, you might find helpful insights in our other blog post about home insemination. And for more information on fertility, check out this guide. Also, if you’re looking for resources on the process, Make A Mom is an authority on this topic.
In summary, life is often full of unexpected turns, and sometimes the map we think we’re following leads us to delightful surprises. Embracing these moments can lead to deeper connections and realizations about what truly matters.