Inspiration for motherhood from early Quakers
“What I really want my sons to see is their dad and me caring about people, spending time working for justice for the oppressed and building relationships with people regardless of their economic or any other status. Oftentimes, this is what really gets to me about being a mom: I don’t have time to go out and do amazing social justice work.
I’m consoled by looking at historical Quaker women, most of whom had numerous children, and yet managed to make a difference. I especially appreciate Elizabeth Fry. While her children were young she did some things: she became known as a minister by speaking in meeting when Spirit-led, she did some visitation of the sick and poor, she taught poor children in her home, she served on committees, and she hosted traveling Friends. She had ten children in fifteen years!
…As her children grew, they watched Elizabeth Fry’s passion for prison reform incubate and grow, but she also focused a good deal of attention on loving her children and taking care of her household. She saw this as her main ministry for a time in her life. She focused her resources of time and energy in a relatively small circle for a time, but this did not mean she didn’t care for others outside of her family. She faithfully lived out her calling to her family and home. Then, in a different stage of life, she faithfully lived out a calling that extended well beyond her own family. I hope I may have the patience to wait for God’s timing, and to truly see this mothering stage of life as the important ministry I know that it is.”
— Cherice Bock, 2011
Quaker minister
Reader Responses
What have you learned about Spirit from children?
Many children move through the world at a different level than most adults. They are closer to the ground. They feel the concrete under their knees, press their faces into the grass, look up at things the rest of us meet at eye level. When I get down there with them the world looks different. More is visible than I expected.
I think that is true in the Spirit as well.
Once I was sitting with a small group of children and we were having a pretend tea party. There was no tea, of course, but we were pouring carefully and holding our cups just so. We were talking about God. A little girl lifted the imaginary teapot and poured and kept pouring and the pretend tea spilled across the table. She looked at the liquid spreading toward all of us and said, "That is God." She said if we put our hands in it we can all touch God, we can all feel God. And so we did. We put our hands in the overflowing pretend tea and our hands touched and we formed a circle and it was beautiful.
I did not have anything to add to that. I just held my cup.
This is what I keep learning from children. Not that they are always open. But that openness to Spirit can arrive anywhere.
Ellerie B., Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
My daughter is only eight months old, but already she has brought me closer to the Spirit in both my heart and my actions. She notices the small wonders of God's creation (the wind, beams of light) and she calls my attention to them too. Amidst the chaos of childrearing, she invites me to pause and reflect, to sit in awe of the life all around us. She is changing how I experience the world, and reminding me that Spirit is everywhere and in everything!
Clarissa R. H., Long Beach, CA, USA
I work with Kindergartners on the Autism Spectrum. They teach me you are not a person to be solved but a person to be loved.
Joseph G., Philadelphia, PA, USA
Children are very skilled at asking questions that are easy for adults to overlook. It seems so much of Quakerism is sitting with questions; I think the Spirit must embody curiosity.
Lillian V.
I offered an invitation to [my ninth grade class]: What is something you have always wondered about?
"Mermaids — are they real? Because we have only explored 5% of the oceans...."
"How do we really know when a species is extinct? There is no way to look everywhere...."
"How are clouds made?"
"Raisins — I used to wonder about them, but then I found out."
...The Spirit instructs me to ask them — to open, and to listen. Their wonders have the power to keep us alive.
Lisa T., Philadelphia, PA, USA
I was once moved to vocal ministry in Meeting and spoke about Jesus' "Suffer the little children to come unto me," and "Unless you come to be as one of these (children) you shall in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven," inspired by the presence of some children in the first 15 minutes.
After a pause, a little girl about four years old stood up and said, "I am that little child..." I don´t remember the rest of her words, but they and she made an enormous impression on me which I carry to this day. The Word/words of God are not limited to educated adults!
Joe S., Portland, OR, USA
When my son was about 12 he asked why he had to continue going to Sunday School because if God is everywhere, he could just go sit in the woods to be close to Him. I feel closer to Spirit when I am in the woods by myself, than anywhere else.... It took me a long time to realize that God is much more than our human minds can conceive.
Sharon C., Exeter, RI, USA
This Week’s Messages
A prayer for Quaker parents
Let’s talk about how we love our children
The time you were born was a time of trouble
What to say when children worry
The impressions we give to children
Meeting is different every time
Read the source of today’s quote
Banner art by Rebecca Price
