This week, I walked into the kitchen and immediately felt panic rise in my chest.

My 10-year-old son was standing at the sink with a pot of hot water and boiling pasta… carefully trying to drain it.

And in that moment, my mind raced.

He’s too young!
What if the water spills?
What if he gets hurt?

I felt fear….Panic….Concern…. All in the space of a few seconds.

Later, while talking to my mother about it, I found myself reflecting more deeply on why the moment affected me so much. Because if I remember correctly, I don’t think I felt quite this way when my daughters were learning to cook.

But sometimes, some people grow faster than our hearts are ready for.

Maybe because he is my baby.
Maybe because I still see him as little.
Maybe because part of motherhood is wanting to protect our children from every possible hurt.

But another part of motherhood is learning to slowly let go.

As my mother and I continued talking, she reminded me that over the years, she herself had gotten many burns while cooking. And not just while learning as a young girl, but even now.

And as we spoke, I remembered that my daughters had gotten little burns while learning too.
Even I once had a serious accident in the kitchen and badly burned my legs.

Accidents are not always signs that someone is incapable.

Sometimes they are simply part of learning.

Part of growing.
Part of becoming more confident.
Part of life.

As much as we want to protect the people we love from pain, we also know that experience is often the greatest teacher.

Growth requires us to accept that mistakes will happen sometimes.

Not because we are careless, but because we are learning.

We must keep this in mind, as sometimes, we hold people back because we are afraid, or we are uncomfortable, or we are not emotionally ready for their growth. Sometimes, we still see them through an older version of who they used to be.

Sometimes… we even do it to ourselves.

We convince ourselves we are “not ready” for:

• the opportunity
• the responsibility
• the next level
• the healing
• the change

Not because we are incapable…but because growth feels risky.

Scripture Reminds Us

In Ecclesiastes 3:1:

“To everything there is a season…”

And part of life is recognizing when it is time to:

• teach differently
• trust differently
• release differently
• allow growth to happen

Even when it makes us uncomfortable.

This week reminded me that self-care is not always about holding on tightly.

Sometimes…

Self-care is trusting
Self-care is allowing growth

Self-care is recognizing capability
Self-care is letting go a little

Reflection

Where in your life are you struggling to loosen your grip?

Who might you still be seeing as “not ready” – including yourself?

And what growth might be possible if you allowed a little more trust into the process?

Growth can feel scary.

But sometimes the people we love – and even we ourselves – are more capable than we realize.

Until next Saturday!

Love, Talisha