The Sun and Moon
"Still I'd like to express my thanks - I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night." ~Irving Berlin
When we received orders to move to South Korea, I talked through all of the details of moving so far away with my mother. As an immigrant, she moved far from home before she turned 20 and I knew she would understand my anxiety. I wanted to know what it would be like in a foreign country and how to deal with being so far from home. I felt that I'd be so far away that I even questioned if we would see the same moon at night.
Calming my fears, my mom assured me that we would be under the same moon, sun and stars. This exchange grew into a ritual we had of sending each other great wishes across the oceans. Living in Florida, she would send me the sun each day at sunset full of prayers and wishes and kisses. Living in Korea, I would, in turn, fill the moon with the same and send it her way at night. For three years, the sight of these heavenly bodies would connect us in such an incredible way.
This morning, as the kids and I loaded our vehicle for the trip to school, we were blessed with the sight of both the moon and sun hovering on the horizons. For a brief time, they seemed to greet each other in the air and spend time in each others company. We all marveled at how perfectly whole the moon is right now, as a full moon and how the bright sun appeared to be the same size.
As a mom, I'm so thankful to share these moments with my children. I'm so thankful that the sun and moon have such a real meaning for me about the power of a mom's love. Even as a grown woman with children of my own, the thought of her standing under the same sun and moon as me continues to bring me peace. Today, standing between these two heavenly bodies, surrounded by my three children, I can fully grasp the meaning of a mother moving the heavens and the Earth for her children.
Lucky for me, I don't have to. I only have to fill them with my prayers, wishes and kisses and strive to follow in the footsteps that my wonderful mother has set before me.
When we received orders to move to South Korea, I talked through all of the details of moving so far away with my mother. As an immigrant, she moved far from home before she turned 20 and I knew she would understand my anxiety. I wanted to know what it would be like in a foreign country and how to deal with being so far from home. I felt that I'd be so far away that I even questioned if we would see the same moon at night.
Calming my fears, my mom assured me that we would be under the same moon, sun and stars. This exchange grew into a ritual we had of sending each other great wishes across the oceans. Living in Florida, she would send me the sun each day at sunset full of prayers and wishes and kisses. Living in Korea, I would, in turn, fill the moon with the same and send it her way at night. For three years, the sight of these heavenly bodies would connect us in such an incredible way.
This morning, as the kids and I loaded our vehicle for the trip to school, we were blessed with the sight of both the moon and sun hovering on the horizons. For a brief time, they seemed to greet each other in the air and spend time in each others company. We all marveled at how perfectly whole the moon is right now, as a full moon and how the bright sun appeared to be the same size.
As a mom, I'm so thankful to share these moments with my children. I'm so thankful that the sun and moon have such a real meaning for me about the power of a mom's love. Even as a grown woman with children of my own, the thought of her standing under the same sun and moon as me continues to bring me peace. Today, standing between these two heavenly bodies, surrounded by my three children, I can fully grasp the meaning of a mother moving the heavens and the Earth for her children.
Lucky for me, I don't have to. I only have to fill them with my prayers, wishes and kisses and strive to follow in the footsteps that my wonderful mother has set before me.
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