Roles and Hats
The roles we play and the hats we wear often contain the loftiest goals of our lives. We wander off in our minds to imagine ourselves as friends, dream up the romantic marriage, formulate the perfect family, and even reminisce over the “we” from days gone by. No matter the stage of life that you are in…thinking of the roles we play is something that we do because of the humanity we walk around in.
We walk around in roles everyday of our lives and I’m grateful for the ones that have found me.
Saturday evening came and my phone rang at dusk. I chatted and smiled with a man sitting out by the chickens recounting the events of a hay-filled, rain saturated, cow moo-ing kind of day. He calls me Princess.
Yesterday afternoon a chain of text messages and phone calls occurred regarding which color of L’oreal should be purchased at the store. I giggled and gave my two cents to the woman who calls me Daughter.
Late last night and as I type these words, texts from two women on opposite sides of the country come across my phone inquiring about clothes and shoe sizes. I smile and respond as though standing face to face with two of my very best friends who call me Sis.
A little after noon a phone call comes through from a deep voice that melts my heart. He calls to ask my opinion and just to see how I am doing because he calls me his Wife.
At the break of dawn today a little girl wandered over to my side of the bed and joyfully proclaimed “my awake!” She was received with a smile, a joyful heart, and half opened eyes because she calls me Mommy.
An hour ago I sent a message to a blonde haired beautiful soul sitting on the beach in order to reserve a spot on her calendar for lunch. I look up to her and she finds joy in me because she calls me Friend.
These are roles that I eagerly participate in because they add joy, meaning, value, and depth to my life. These are roles that I will grow in and undoubtedly screw up in until the day that I breathe out my last breath before the Lord.
The roles we play are an extension of the cards we have been dealt in this life. They are part of the Master’s plan to grow us into being more like Him. The roles we walk around in are the conduits for the grace He is pouring over our souls. I have received endless amounts of grace as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, and a friend. Grace has been heaped onto my head at the most undeserving times by the kindest of people. The roles that I play allow me to receive love and grace from those whom God has designed to journey down the long and sometimes treacherous paths of this life.
Whatever role you are in today, stop resisting and simply begin resting. You cannot change the family you were born into or those born out of you. They are yours for the taking and you are His for the making. He is making you into something that He will only do ONCE. Allow Him the privilege to use whatever roles, whatever people, whatever circumstances He warrants in order to create the uniqueness of YOU.
You are loved. You are cherished. You are seen. Dear One…you are just that.
ONE.
Only one of you will ever be but the roles you play will play on far after you. Daughters, Sons, Sisters, Brothers, Mothers, Fathers, and Friends will permeate this earth for as long as it spins. Play your roles well in the time that you have so that those who take your place will have witnessed God’s grace.
© Dani Hardy (November 27, 2018)