Extensions of Remarks 15979 Extensions of Remarks
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June 27, 1996 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 15979 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD an unquestionable respect for the power of With our children, together, we realize God's love that flows between mothers and that it's O.K. to be spontaneous or silly their children. sometimes. It's good to have fun and laugh. HON. HENRY J. HYDE Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be It's also very important to cuddle and hug a OF ILLINOIS mother. I used to love to go to Church on the people we love, and to trust that there is IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Sunday morning and watch all the young mothers with their babies. Sometimes I'd someone who accepts us as we are, loves us Thursday, June 27, 1996 even take one of my dolls with me so that I without question, and is always there. Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, last Mother's Day, could pretend that I, too, was a young moth But children must also learn that some Terry Gnezda Peckham, the wife of Gardner er. I couldn't imagine anything more won times it's important to be serious, it's nor derful than to have a house full of children. mal to be mad or sad, or disappointed, and Peckham, an assistant in the Speaker's office, I dreamed about how much fun it would be to wrote a beautiful and profound paper entitled watch them all grow, sharing their interests fear and unhappiness are part of life, too. 'Thoughts on Motherhood." and their dreams and bringing so much love And as we teach our children all of these Her statement is pure literature and I urge and excitement to life. realities of life, we must also show them the my colleagues to take the time to read it care I think I played with dolls longer than any value of having a deep and enduring faith in fully. They will be enriched. of my friends, and I grew up in great antici God. For it is through God's love and his pation of having children of my own. THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD-MOTHERS' DAY Well, motherhood has turned out to be presence in all of us that we are able to cele 1996 much, much more than I could have ever brate our joys and endure our pain. With this (By Terry Gnezda Peckham) dreamed. I love being a mother and think it's knowledge, children can trust that they are When Father DeSilva asked me to speak just about the greatest gift that God has never alone and that God will help them get today about motherhood, I was very honored ever given me. through anything that life brings. to have the chance to share some of my feel It's awfully hard to put into words what Together, the intimate relationships with motherhood is really all about. Sometimes it ings and experiences with you. I'm sure that parents, and an enduring faith in God help I am not alone when I think of motherhood seems too demanding, too tiring, and too overwhelming to cope with, and other times children to grow into people who accept as probably the most treasured experience I themselves and others, and feel compassion will ever have. I'm also sure that all of you it is incredibly rewarding, very inspiring, can remember, as I do, special moments and deeply satisfying. Motherhood pushes us toward all humanity. when you have been overcome by the inten to our limits, physically, emotionally, and So, motherhood is a monumental respon sity and the beauty of the love you share often intellectually, as we and our children sibility, but it is full of love, joy, and count experience life together. with your children. Through motherhood, we face every pos less rewards. In fact, it is God's most impor I can vividly remember a beautiful early sible emotion with an intensity that is un tant work. Summer afternoon two years ago when my paralleled in other aspects of life. When our And, even though I still dread making daughters were playing in our backyard. children are happy, we are overjoyed, and School had just ended and the girls seemed brown bag lunches for school every day, dis when they're sad we ache inside, often be like the struggle over homework every so carefree and happy. As I looked out the cause we feel powerless to take away the window that day at my two precious daugh pain. This intensity of feeling brings such night, and tire of reminding my girls to ters, I thought, life is great! I felt so happy pride (the kind that makes you well-up in brush their teeth before they go to bed, I and proud that my husband and I could have side with tears), it keeps us focused on our wouldn't trade those moments for anything, given our daughters such a wonderful start responsibilities, and leads us to so much un because they're part of it all. in life. They had a nice house in a nice neigh certainty (and sometimes guilt) as we won borhood, two healthy parents, and a safe, And it's when they play together for hours der if we're doing the right thing as we on end singing so happily, or read to each loving, and secure family. On that afternoon bring-up our children. I felt so lucky and so overwhelmed with love For-here is this person who needs parents other, cuddling closely on the sofa, or when for my girls, that all the ups and downs of for everything-for protection, for love, and they marvel at the shapes of the clouds or motherhood were replaced with a sense of for guidance-guidance to learn about the the colors of the sky-or even when they sit deep satisfaction and peace. I remember world, to learn about other people, to learn up in the middle of the night, fold their thinking that that was going to be an espe how to behave, and to learn about himself or hands and pray that they won't have any cially wonderful Summer for us. herself. more nightmares-that's when motherhood Three weeks later, everything had changed And here we are, with our husbands, re really feels worthwhile. Or, when we get all when I found myself in the hospital confront sponsible for teaching this person all the ing the fact that I was seriously ill. My doc those hugs that come out nowhere, or when things that we think are most important to they look up at us with such trust and love, tors outlined a plan for several months of provide a sound foundation to guide our or when they want to share every last detail horrible and debilitating treatment that child's life. would end with extremely serious surgery. One of the most remarkable things that of their day, that's also when motherhood I was terrified-terrified of the treatment, happens as a result of motherhood is that we feels worthwhile. and terrified of what could happen to me if learn a great deal about ourselves. It is My girls are still in primary and elemen things didn't go as the doctors had planned. through motherhood that we come closer to tary school, so I know we've got a long way I didn't know how I would find the strength an understanding of who we are, and there to go together, but I have faith that the love to get through it. But, no matter how uncer fore, what God has given us to share with our we have for each other will get us through tain my future was at that point, I knew I children. In fact, I think motherhood brings had to fight this illness-mostly because of us into the most intimate relationships that whatever the future brings, and I know that my two girls; they were only 4 and 7 at the we will ever have with other human beings. God will be there to help us. time, and we still had so much to share. And at the heart of this intimacy is honesty And so, even though my girls are a little So, with support from my husband, my and love. older now, I often wonder if when they were family and friends, and with God's help, I It's not hard to be honest with our children babies and I took them to Church on Sunday was able to find the strength I needed to get about what we think, feel, or believe, be mornings, if maybe, just maybe, there was a through my ordeal. cause most of the time it seems that they little girl who dreamed, as I had so many And, thankfully, things went as my doc can see right through us, or at least they tors had planned, and I'm here-and I expect sense when something doesn't seem right. years ago, about how wonderful it will be to to be here for a long, long, time. But this ex And it's a remarkable thing to be honest be a mommy. To that little girl and all the perience, as awful as it was, has led me to a with our children about who we are, because other little girls here today, I hope you will deeper understanding of many things, one of it gives us the freedom to enjoy life with keep dreaming, and that someday you, too, which is motherhood.