It is a privilege to be among you today, as American Mothers….and as mothers who cherish the writings that brought us Charlotte’s Web, I bring you to Wilbur the pig, who had a devoted spider friend who wrote in her web, the words, “some pig” – “terrific” – “radiant” and “humble” –which opened the eyes of his animal friends to declare he was also - phenomenal, wonderful and unique. Wilbur, the runt of the litter, told Charlotte he did not feel like he was terrific –but she said, “You’re terrific as far as I’m concerned – I think you’re sensational.
How many times have our children’s eyes looked up into our eyes in honest despair and said, “I am untalented, unattractive, worthless, the runt of all of God’s children that have ever lived on the earth. And there we stand, with their hearts in our hands, as mothers, with the sacred chance to bring them to a place of safety where their feelings will not be misinterpreted but held-- and valued and nourished and carried across their personal gulf of discouragement to a place of hope and eventual rescue. It happens over and over again – a child’s need to find a safe harbor, a Wilbur’s barn, their mother’s heart – where blinking, shining lights flash and ultimately glow and penetrate their troubled souls with words that say, -- you’re remarkable, you’re magnificent and you are definitely “some pig!”
My very favorite discovery in my personal journey through 36 years of mothering 10 spectacularly different children, is a principle I have named, “The Art of Absorbing” ----the sacred calling a mother has to stand before a needy, desperate child and absorb their pain and frustration – where else can they go – if not to us – their mothers.
I believe God fashioned a mother’s heart in a very unique way – with this special capacity – and for me – it has been the secret to EVELATION -the secret, to how to create the safety in a barn that allows a child to look up, and see and learn that they are indeed terrific – at least terrific – a chance to be Charlotte to our Wilburs is a calling of the most sacred kind.
Our story ends with Wilbur working very hard to live up to all that Charlotte believed him to be and he eventually BECAME all her webby words – and won a special prize at the fair. As Charlotte is about to die, Wilbur says, “You have saved me Charlotte, – why did you do all this for me”…she said – “I wove my webs because I liked you- after all – what’s a life for, anyway.” She then shows Wilbur her egg sac containing 514 baby spiders and says, “This is my great work, my magnum opus…………the finest thing I have ever made.”
We each have been blessed with our OWN magnum opus and hand in hand with God we can join Charlotte and say this is the finest thing we have ever made and the finest thing we will ever do is write the words in the web of life that will, in the end, SAVE the life of each of the loved ones in our magnum opus. ….and I believe if Charlotte were here today, looking out at all of you, she would busily be writing the words ….. “some mothers” - I love that I have the chance to be with you today – thank you….KAREN NELSON – AMERICAN MOTHERS 2011
