by Parents are accustomed to countless messes spread throughout the house by their little ones.
Whether there’s peanut butter on the couch, juice spilled all over the floor, a scribble on a pristine white bed sheet, or just a ton of dishes and laundry to do constantly, it’s no secret that kids sure know how to make a mess!
But just because they’re used to it doesn’t make it any less exhausting and exasperating when a parent discovers yet another stain on a pillow or steps on yet another carelessly forgotten toy.
But mother Heather Duckworth wants other parents to remember that it’s possible to find love and happiness in these messes, even if they are tiring to deal with!
Heather shared an experience she had on Facebook in a post titled The Blue Stain.
She was in the middle of trying to scrub off some sticky slime that her daughter had dropped on the floor when she remembered an incident from 14 years ago.
She had spent the evening trying to chase her four kids – a four-year-old big brother and two-year-old triplets – down for bedtime, and she was wiped out.
Then, one of her triplets held a pen wrongly and it practically exploded. Blue ink sprayed everywhere – on the boy, on his pajamas, and on the carpet, just six months old.
Drained and exhausted beyond belief, Heather lost her temper and tears of frustration began to flow.
Her husband tried in vain to get the stain out, and even professional carpet cleaners could not succeed.
She was furious with herself for failing to keep the pen out of reach, and every time she looked at the stain, those feelings came out again.
She loathed it and covered it up with furniture.
But then, the next month saw that same toddler become diagnosed with cancer. He passed away two years later, leaving his family – and the stain – behind.
Now, whenever Heather looks at the stain, it takes her breath away and it serves as a reminder of him.
She strives, now, to take messes as they come and find the joy in them, and she knows she’d take countless stains and messes to have her little boy back again.
She hopes other parents will learn to see the beauty in a mess, too!
