Lilacs and a Favourite Quote

I always thought writing would be a solitary activity but not so in the day of the internet. I'm a moderator at Motheringdotcommunity's Mothers Writing Group and that along with the wonderful people I've "met" here in the blogosphere has given me the gift of being able to read and share in the work of other writers. A close second to my love of writing is my love of reading and there is great wisdom and great writing in both places.

Lisa Russell blogs as Mrs Hannigan at her own website http;//www.lisarussell.org. She's also a member of the Mothers Writing Group. She has wonderful talent and she does all of her writing while proudly homeschooling six daughters. Yes, SIX. Somehow I feel a little inadequate having a mere four!

I am absolutely delighted to have Lisa as my first guest on my blog. She wrote the following thought-provoking post for me and I love it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lilacs and a Favourite Quote

Today the kids picked lilacs and our whole house is now filled with the heavy perfume of lilacs, shoved into a recycled bean dip jar on the kitchen table. A few weeks from now, there will be daffodils in the vase.

It's always springtime when this phrase comes back into my life. "You are an endless source of all that you choose to create."
That sentence meant something to me in high school, scribbled on my blue denim three-ring binder, in hot pink puff paint. Then again, a few years later, printed out in a regal font on parchment paper hanging in my first home office. And again today, as I add it to a list of my favorite inspirational quotes for a random-quote-feature on my blog. Is collecting quotes a normal thing to do as we get older? I seem to collect a lot of them. This one has always been one of my favorites.

I am an endless source of all that I choose to create.

I don't think I've ever said it out loud. I've used it to encourage friends before, it seems to go over well. As the mother of six daughters, it's taken on an odd meaning. The idea of being an endless source of daughters doesn't exactly bring forth the empowering feeling I used to get from the phrase.

In every moment, though, I can choose to be something else. Sometimes I choose to be the flustered mom, trying to keep ends together or the fun mom, singing songs and playing games. I sometimes choose to be the angry mom, upset about the dishes or laundry. In those times, I often feel that I don't have a choice. But I do, I always do. Other times, I choose to be the lazy mom, serving sandwiches for dinner because it's all I can manage at the moment. It's hard to remember that I'm choosing sometimes; whatever I choose to create.

I am an endless source. Today I chose to be fun. We spent the morning enjoying a day that felt suspiciously like springtime. The girls built fairy houses, I deep-cleaned a few things and made a picnic lunch. Today I chose peace. I can do that every day. I should choose that more often. Knowing it's my choice, I am inspired to choose it more often. I am an endless source.

An endless source; my kids probably wish I was an endless source of fun. I wondered today, if the earth chose to create lilacs all year-round, would she? It occurred to me, she does. Just not for me. As a mom, I've learned to appreciate the beauty other seasons. I hope my kids appreciate mine. Abundance knows no limits, I am an endless source of all that I choose to create. Even when I'm choosing to be cranky, they still bring me flowers.

Lisa