Originally published December 29, 2021 on The Mom Inspirer. This piece has been lightly edited for clarity and republished here.
One morning, I was giving my two young children a bath when my daughter looked at me and said:
“Mama, I love you. I hope I can be just like you when I grow up.”
I just stared at her for a moment.
Then I pulled myself together, smiled, and told her that was sweet.
A few minutes later, as I was helping my son out of the tub, he looked at me and said:
“Mama, you’re so beautiful.”
Again, I was caught off guard.
I thanked him and kept moving through our morning routine, helping them get dressed and ready for the day. But mentally, I was still trying to process what had just happened.
Their words felt random. They were affectionate children, and we celebrated each other often, but something about that moment felt different.
I wondered if they had sensed something in me.
The truth is, I had been feeling irritated that morning. My mind was busy with thoughts about home, responsibilities, and the imbalance I sometimes felt around housework and everything that needed to get done.
Was it written all over my face?
Did they notice something I thought I was hiding?
Part of me felt guilty at the thought. I never want my children to feel responsible for lifting me up or making me feel better.
But another part of me wondered if their words were simply a reminder I needed.
Earlier that morning, around 3 a.m., I had been awake with a heavy heart. I spent some time praying and reading about gratitude before eventually falling back asleep.
A few hours later, my children were standing in front of me, speaking words I had not asked for but deeply needed to hear.
Maybe that was the reminder.
Sometimes the people closest to us see something in us that we have forgotten how to see for ourselves.
So if you are reading this and need the same reminder:
You are seen.
You are loved.
There is beauty in you, even on the days when you feel tired, frustrated, or unsure of yourself.
Take a moment today to remember something good, something steady, something worth being grateful for.
Sometimes encouragement arrives in the most ordinary moments.
And sometimes it comes from the smallest voices.
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