There is nothing like it.

The evidence is in the fact that the human race continues! Honestly, if life was logical we would look at other parents and go ‘um, no thanks!’ The unbelievable level of self-sacrifice in becoming a parent makes no sense. Why would we give up our sleep, our social lives, friends, careers, hobbies, money, our ability to look after ourselves properly, our own space and rest time, to spend a large portion of the rest of our days raising noisy, smelly, argumentative babies / toddlers / children / teenagers!

And not only do many of us do it once, but we do it again! And sometimes multiple times!

LOVE. (And maybe the survival instinct in us for the human race… but I like to believe it’s love!)

There is no love like a parent’s love for their child.

It is unfathomable, indescribable, and all consuming. It will comfort, protect, defend, provide, and correct. It is unconditional.

I can have a day with a lot of hard moments, as my beautiful sass-bomb of a daughter pushes all my buttons testing boundaries and pursuing self-determination! But as we read stories and get cosy in bed to settle down for sleep, I gaze at her and I melt again. Like I do every day. Many times in a day. I tell her that she is my dream come true.

She can wind me up like no one else (probably because she’s a mini-me!), but if anyone else were to say anything (unreasonable) about her there will be WRATH! There is something in a mama bear that would crawl across shards of broken glass to defend their child.

And my precious little man. He is so kind (mostly…!) and such a gentle soul. As I watch him investigate puzzle pieces, and build towers, get cross with me when I try to help him get dressed (“I said I do it mummy!), and get excited when he sees a “YELLOW CAR!” my heart bursts with love and pride and adoration. My son.

The emotional up and down is immense, but that love is undeniable.

There is a powerful passage about love in the Bible (1 Corinthians 13) which is often used at wedding ceremonies, but I think also speaks to the love of a parent:

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others.
Love isn’t always “me first”.
It doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel.
It takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always.
Always looks for the best.
Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.

There is NOTHING either of my children could do that would make me love them less. Nothing. Sure, they wind me up! Yes, I need space from them sometimes! Of course they, and I, are far from perfect! But I will never stop loving them. Love never dies.