Grace to Move Forward
At the beginning of this month, I started walking in the mornings. At first, I was just winging it, trying different paths, clocking the mileage, and figuring things out as I went. Eventually, I settled into a daily route that became familiar.
This morning, I followed that same route, but it was raining. Even though the path had not changed, the conditions had. Some areas were muddy and slick, and the sidewalks were covered in pine needles. I had to watch my step and move carefully so I wouldn’t slip.
Even with my caution, I still ended up with mud on my shoes. Ugh! But I kept walking and completed the route. When I got home, I had to adjust how I entered the house. I did not want to track mud everywhere, so I took off my shoes at the door and carried them to the bathroom to clean them. Afterwards, they needed time to dry. I could not wear them again right away, but that was okay. I had other shoes I could wear that day.
This experience reminded me of the journey through pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and parenthood.
We may read books, attend classes, or talk to friends and family about what to expect. We may even plan out our “route,” such as our birth plan, postpartum plan, or parenting approach. But just like my walk, conditions can shift along the way. Pregnancy can bring unexpected changes. Labor can feel slippery and unpredictable. Postpartum may be messier than we imagined. Parenting is always full of surprises.
We can prepare and tread carefully, and we can still end up with mud on our shoes. Sleepless nights, birth plan changes, breastfeeding challenges, toddler tantrums, it is all part of the journey.
The key is not to let the mud stop us. Sometimes we need to adjust how we move forward, ask for help, change expectations, or give ourselves permission to pause. Like washing muddy shoes, recovery and resetting take time. Sometimes we need to set something aside and lean on another pair of shoes, whether that is your partner, friends, family, doulas, or even a fresh perspective.
Mud does not mean failure. It means you are on the path. And with each step, messy or not, you are moving forward.
