I remember as a child when I was scared I would run to my Mother and she would scoop me up and hold me close. I would bury my face in the soft crevice of her neck and it seemed that nothing could harm me. In my teenage years when I was going through something she would sit me down and give me some valuable encouragement and advice.

As an adolescent I didn't value her words nearly as much as I should have. However, there was always a comfort in knowing that my Mother was there. Her words weren't always easy to hear and usually didn't make sense to me at the time. Nonetheless, her words did give me reassurance that she was never far away from me.

If I tried to look back at how many times my Mother came to my rescue by sharing a much needed lesson or giving an encouraging word, I probably couldn't count the times. She has always possessed a quiet strength. She is not aggressive or confrontational. She has seen a lot of things happen in our family, both good and bad and yet she never lets the weight of these situations burden her down. I have rarely seen my Mother cry. As a matter of fact, the most vivid thoughts of my Mother crying was when my Father passed away 13 years ago.

I remember at his funeral a long-time family friend said to my Mother,

"The Lord called him (referring to my Father) home first because He knew you were the stronger one. If you had gone first surely your husband would have come right behind you."

This statement was a testimony of my Mother's courage and fortitude. She has weathered so many storms and carried her family on her back. She has out lived her husband and even two of her children. She has many grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren. She is blessed and truly exemplifies the Proverbs 31 woman of virtue.

In my mind, I've always seen my Mother being the giver of wisdom. She was the one the family would come to for counsel and direction. Even now that I am a wife and mother I still seek her for her thoughts on certain issues.

It really didn't dawn on me until Sunday evening that the tables have been slowly turning. More and more she is coming to me for advice. My Mother is getting up there in age. Therefore, at first I thought she sought my opinion because her memory has slowed and she tends to be forgetful.

Sunday evening when she called me with a heavy heart about something bothering her, I found myself counseling her and giving her reassurance. It never dawned on me that I was actually taking on the Mothering role until she commented that she had a lot more clarity about the siutation after speaking to me. It took me by surprise, because this is how I feel about the wisdom she shares with me.

Do the tables really turn in the parent/child relationship? Have you seen this happen with your own parents? Are you a parent with grown children and now find yourself seeking them for advice?

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