I am a warrior! (And a Mom)

Today I am a warrior! A wood elf warrior. Tall and strong, I move quickly and quietly through the forest. My leather armor lies lightly upon me and I am wrapped in a cloak of shifting shades of green and brown. I pass right by you, but you will not perceive my presence unless I want you to. I blend. But I do not hide.

I do not hide from anyone. I am bold, sometimes to the point of recklessness. When I see injustice I must fight against it. I protect my people and my forest.

My longsword rests in a scabbard along my back. I draw the gleaming blade in defense of the oppressed. I have a special bond with my weapon and it leaps into my hand when I face danger. The shining polished surface reflects the true nature of the foes I face. When I look at their image in the razor sharp brilliance of the blade, I can perceive their true selves. They cannot hide the truth from me.

I am Shadow, the Warrior. My blade is named Mist. Villains cannot hide from us.

I walk through this world as a force for good. If you seek me, you will not find me, but where ever there is injustice, I will appear.

Today I am also a housekeeper. Armed with rags and cleaners, I stalk about my kitchen attacking offensive grime and germs. No dirt is safe from me. On hands and knees I obliterate old crumbs and smudges from the grey slate tiles. Using long strong swipes with my toned shoulders I show no mercy to the germy infiltrators of my household. I will subdue these intruders. It is my mission!

And I am also a seeker of knowledge. With my glasses perched upon my nose I delve into the mysteries of stories and information. I discern with my piercing intellect whether the news I am collecting is a true representation of the world around me. I can tell at a glance the accuracy of data, and my magical glasses allow me to read vast amounts of literature. Tales of adventure, love, family, treachery and science are all forced to open their secrets to me when I place my hands upon their pages. All will open. No story can resist once I set my sights upon it.

Today I am a secret holder.

An educator.

Student.

Therapist.

I am the keeper of family history.

Today I am a Mother.

Because every day I am a Mother. Underneath the roles I play, the tasks I assume and the responsibilities I shoulder, I will always be a Mom.

As a mom I understand how to be a fearless warrior taking care of those who depend upon my strength. I have learned the importance of justice and fairness. I have mastered the magic of perceiving the truth.

I comprehend the gentle art of cleaning up messes, and of gathering new information about and for my family. I learned how to listen, and more importantly, I know that listening is almost always more important than telling.

As a Mom I had the chance to teach many skills and lessons, but more significantly, I had the opportunity to learn in return. I am grateful to my adult children for the myriad of interests they pursued during these years we have had together. If not for them, I never would have experienced the complexities of television, the different perspectives to consider when reading literature, and the challenges facing our educational system.

I have been exposed to numerous subjects, facts and viewpoints. But, my main lesson has been the uncomplicated joy that comes from watching small dependent children flourish into exceptional adults. Even as dependence ends, love continues.

So, today I am a warrior, and cleaner. I am a reader, writer, secret keeper, listener, student and therapist.

Today and every day I am a Mother.

And I am valiant.