A Summer’s Camera Roll Through a Mother’s Eyes

Claire McGarry labeled her summer an epic fail — until she looked closely at the camera roll on her phone.   

I’m wrapping up this summer and labeling it one of the most hectic and unproductive summers I’ve had in years. I can’t even count the number of balls I’ve dropped, and the endless apologies I’ve had to make. It makes me so grateful that I live in a four-season region of the country so I can turn the page on this season to find a clean slate for the fall.  

Before that could happen, though, I had to spend the past two weeks cleaning up the messes I’d made — literally and figuratively. Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, the surface of my counters that were under the piles, and the bottom of my inbox after the avalanche of emails. 

Restored vision  

As I FINALLY exhale, peace and my vision are restored. Both give me the ability to see that the summer wasn’t a total loss after all. My camera roll has dozens of photos to prove it: pictures of fun adventures, silly activities and happy memories made.  

Those images remind me of the graduation party we threw for my son, and the 125 friends and family that came. They document the transitions my kids went through before one began college as a freshman, one returned as a junior, and one started her first year of high school. They capture the old friendships that were strengthened and the new ones that were made. 

What only a mother’s eyes can see  

Yet, there’s another layer to all those photos that only I can see. That party for 125 people in my backyard didn’t magically happen. It took three intense weeks of meticulous planning, very little sleep, and extreme hard labor.  

Although my kids needed to mature to be ready for high school and college, they didn’t do that on their own. There were umpteen coaching sessions as I taught them how to jump through the hoops their next phases required, rather than jumping through them for them. There were countless pep talks, tears, and hugs as I carried them through the pockets of fear and anxiety over the upcoming unknown.  

The fun things my kids did with their friends didn’t pay for themselves. Yes, my kids all have jobs and do contribute. But my husband and I also funded quite a bit. And since the money tree we planted in our backyard never took root, we each spent endless hours hard at work in our home offices to help pay for those events, as well as the two college tuitions we now own. 

Accomplishing what matters  

Having taken the time to look more closely and honestly at my summer, I see it in a whole new light. Do I wish I could have juggled it all? Absolutely. But at my age and in my state of mind, that was completely impossible. I did, however, accomplish what was important, and from a mother’s perspective, what truly mattered.  

I know there will be plenty more summers in the future. But I won’t always have my three kids under my roof for them. I’m grateful now that I prioritized this summer the way I did. I may not have done everything my kids wanted. But I absolutely did what they needed. 

Whatever you do, do from the heart. (Colossians 3:23a)

There lies the sweet spot of motherhood: recognizing that we can’t do it all, nor should we try. If we succeeded, we’d most likely raise kids who become entitled and greedy.   

If we know in our hearts that we did our best, and each of our kids’ needs were met, we’ve met our calling. I believe God is very pleased with that. 

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Copyright 2024 Claire McGarry
Images: Canva