Mother’s Day will be here in a few days. In honor of the day, Different Dream guest blogger Stephanie Ballard, mother of a child with significant special needs, is with us. She’s written a poem sharing the heart of a special needs mother. Grab a tissue before you start reading.

The Heart of a Special Needs Mother

I have been your mother
Long before you came,
When I first heard your heartbeat
And thought about your name.
When I looked at a monitor
And watched you move your hands
I thought, “Hey, I’m your mommy,”
And I started making plans.

I didn’t plan for anything
Except–the life you’d live,
The cute outfits we’d dress you in,
And all the love we’d give.
But life, it holds no promises.
This wisdom I impart:
Life’s most important lessons
Are those learned from the heart.

Now every day when I wake up,
I say a little prayer.
“Lord, watch over my child today
And let him know your there.
Give me the chance to show him
What it means to be part
Of this world we live in.”
This is a mother’s heart.

I watch my child growing up.
Each day brings something new.
Most people can’t imagine
All the things he has been through.
Each scar that he still carries
Can’t easily be missed.
I can no longer doubt it:
Miracles exist.
I have loved this child, Lord,
Right from the very start,
And I will remain hopeful.
This is a mother’s heart.

Sometimes it is not easy,
And faith becomes our guide.
For we live in the present
Hoping time is on our side.
They tell me that my child is
A “medical pioneer.”
But surely these are not the words
A mother hopes to hear.
Most mothers envision that their children
Will be kind, and successful, and smart.
I picture a thousand tomorrows.
This is a mother’s heart.

I see him playing in the park
And swimming in the pool,
I see him grasping my hands tight
On his first day of school.
I see him chasing fireflies
on a starry summer night
I see his life before me.
He is precious in God’s sight.
As I imagine all these things
My mind can almost chart
The well-laid plans I have for him.
This is a mother’s heart.

And if the time should ever come
That I must let him go.
Please help me to accept the fact
That I can’t watch him grow.
My blessing, my sweet miracle
His life, like precious art–
Each memory a brush stroke
on the canvas of my heart.
I have been his mother
Right from the very start
Nothing can ever break this bond
This is a mother’s heart.

Give a Special Needs Mother You Know a Shout Out!

When you’re done wiping away your tears, give a special needs mother you know a shout out for Mother’s Day in the comment box. And yes, that special needs mother can be you. We’d love to hear your story here at Different Dream.

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