“The greatest glory in living
lies not in never falling,
but in rising every time we fall.” Nelson Mandela
Life with three young boys involves a lot of dirt, a lot of sweat, occasional blood, and frequent tears. It’s messy! They run, they jump, they play…hard! They laugh, they scream, they cry. They spill, they drop, they get hurt. There are 2 volumes: loud and louder; and there are 2 speeds: fast and faster. We are ON at all times!
As a result of their balls to the wall, 24/7, full force play philosophy, they fall down often. Yesterday we were basically outside from 10:30 am til about 7:30 pm with just a few water and milk breaks thrown in between. As the boys were running full speed with their little cars, Ethan hit a bump in the sidewalk and it practically flipped him straight up into the air and over his car. It was pretty impressive to watch actually, but then very sad. Luckily, no major injuries were sustained other than a few scratches and a bruised ego.
I comforted him and kissed his boo boos and told him how brave and strong he is. We talked about the bump that knocked him over and that it was scary but that he’s ok now. Then I said, “Sometimes we hit bumps in the road and we fall down. Its ok! You’re brave and you’re strong. Sometimes we fall down, but then we get back up and try again.” He pulled himself together, took some breaths, calmed his crying and then he smiled and said, “I strong! That bump knocked me over but I ok!” We snuggled and he sat with me on the swing a little longer and then he went back out to conquer the car and all the bumps the road had to offer.
In the road of my life, I’m currently dealing with a pretty big bump. In many ways, the last 10 to 12 years have felt like a chain of bumps and a series of never ending falls, each one bigger than the last; but this particular bumpy fall is the biggest one yet. I hit it hard and I hit it fast. It scooped me up off my feet, flipped me over and slammed me down on my head. I wasn’t prepared for it, although I’d been warned all along the path that it was coming. Everyone else knew how bumpy this road was, yet I chose to travel it anyway. Thankfully, when I hit the torturous bumps of this road, I wasn’t met with too many “I told ya so’s,” but rather with open, loving arms of, “Its ok. You’re strong. You’re brave. Sometimes we hit bumps and we fall, but then we get up and we try again.”
Lord knows I have fallen in my life more times than I’m proud to admit. I’ve made really bad choices, traveled really rocky roads, and entered territory I was never meant to enter. I’ve tried to create paths when there were none, pretend like the bumps weren’t too big for me to handle, and ran blindly, full speed in the wrong direction. I’ve failed. I’ve thrown away my dreams. I’ve spiraled down into the rabbit hole and been unable to get myself out. I’ve gotten bruises and bumps, I’ve bled, and I’ve hurt. I’ve been heedless with my heart and reckless with my life, and I’ve come completely undone as a result.
I am the kid who sticks her finger in the light socket. I am the person who doesn’t check the expiration date on the milk. I am the idiot who has never looked before she leaped. I am the girl who is falling apart, right now.
Amy Garvey
But no matter how many times I’ve fallen, I have always gotten back up and tried again. I have always gathered my broken pieces and attempted to put them back together. The pieces haven’t always fit, some have gone missing, and some are irretrievably broken. There are some bumps that have left permanent scars on my life. But I’m still here, I’m still trying, and I’m still living.
Sometimes in life, we fall.
There’s just no way around it. In order to succeed, sometimes we have to fail. In order to learn, we have to make mistakes. In order to rise, we have to fall. Sometimes, the bumps are what we climb on!
I haven’t lead a flawless life. It hasn’t gone according to plan. I’ve never done any of the big things the “right” way and I’ve swam against the grain in most everything. I’ve fallen short of my potential at times and often felt I’d completely thwarted God’s plan for me in an irrevocable way. But what God continues to show me through it all is that nothing is ever too broken for Him to heal it. I can never fall too many times for Him to lovingly scoop me back up and help me try again. I want my boys to see that it’s ok to fall. It’s even welcomed. As long as they get back up and keep going.
Sometimes we fall. And that’s okay, because we are brave, we are strong, and we can always try again. I may be the girl who fell, but I’m also the girl who got back up! Heck, I might even fly.
If you liked this post, feel free to share, and don’t forget to click the icon below to send me a vote on TMB! Thanks for reading!
Three Boys and a Mom 
Awww.. Love this one! We all fall… its just what we do afterwards that makes all the difference! And that pic of your son is just too freaking cute!
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Oh thank you so much! You’re exactly right…falling is not what breaks us. It’s not getting back up. As long as we keep getting back up, we can keep falling and trying and living. That’s where the beauty is! ❤
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Amen. So true. And sometimes, teaching such things to our children helps the truth to sink in more. How much more I want for my children to know that even if they fall, when they fall, that we get back up. And that there are no boo boo’s that God can’t cover in grace. I want that for them, to sometimes to teach it to them, it must increase my faith. I must rely all the more on God’s promises. Or, sometimes, when I’m trying to teach them, I find that my faith is lacking in an area in my own life and those words slap me back across the face. Because I need more faith.
Such a lovely post. 🙂
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Couldn’t agree more! I want my boys to not be afraid of falling but always find the strength to get back up…even if it requires asking for help to get there. God teaches me lessons through these boys every single day and many times when I’m teaching them something is when God hammers it home for me. It tests, stretches and increases my faith daily. Such a beautiful gift this parenting thing! 😍 thank you for this wonderful comment!
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What a lovely post! Yes, we fall often for sure. But it looks as if you are recovering as gracefully as anyone can. And those boys… they sound like a wonderful handful! 🙂 🙂
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Oh thank you! A wonderful handful indeed! I appreciate that so much! 😉
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Everyone falls but some people just lay there on the ground while others get up! It says a lot about a person if he or she gets up and tries again. Nice post!
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Very true!! Thanks so much!
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This is beautiful and poetic and I just LOVE this piece!!
“But what God continues to show me through it all is that nothing is ever too broken for Him to heal it. I can never fall too many times for Him to lovingly scoop me back up and help me try again.” —YES! God is always greater and His Love for us is so deep and wide, so unfathomable, so forgiving.
Failure is an important part of our journeys. It’s part of how we learn just how much we need Jesus…and that is a beautiful thing.
You are a wonderful mom and you are teaching your boys great things! ❤ ❤
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This gave me chills Hannah! Thank you! ❤❤❤
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❤
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Great honest post. We all fall and learning from those mistakes and moving on makes us better people. It sounds like those boys are lucky to have you!
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Oh that means so much! Thank you! I feel like the lucky one! 😉
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I love this 🙂 I voted too!
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Oh thank you!! 😍
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Preach 🙌 oh man have I had some falls. And oh man is it good to know God still loves me despite my short comings. Your honesty is beautiful.
Also, heaven help me because I’m okay with my own falls–anticipating those my son might take are already making my head spin.
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Haha oh sweet sister I am right there with youI want them to know it is okay to fall but secretly I really don’t want them to ever, although I know they will…. but I’d be lying if I said I’m not scared of what kind of falls they’ll take and how hard they’ll be. I pray fervently against certain kinds of falls in their future but try to trust that no matter what, God will lovingly scoop them back up with me if and when they do fall. Motherhood is equal parts tough, gut wrenching and beautiful! ❤
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Your post reminds me of one of my favorite verses. “…for the righteous falls seven times and rises again …” Proverbs 24:16. You got my vote too!
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Wow I love that! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
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Beautifully written. I love the quote at the end. I have fallen and bled and bruised myself up as well but I have always gotten back up, just like you have. You are an amazing and inspirational mother! Thanks for sharing a piece of your heart.
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That means a lot to me. We all fall. It’s what we do after that makes us. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment!
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I always sing to my boys when they fall, “sometimes we fall down….BUT we always get back up!” Blessings!
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Aw I love that! ❤ beautiful!
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I love this! I find that if I look at every fall as a learning experience it makes the getting up so much easier. I found you through the Whatever Wednesday Link up, nice to meet you. 🙂
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That’s a great perspective. I saw a quote once that said, “I never lose…I either win or I learn.” I think that’s a similar sentiment and I love it. Everything is an opportunity for growth. So glad you found me and I’m looking forward to reading your blog as well!
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thanks for helpful tips and just good info
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I went through a phase of doing it alone. I felt I was failing A Lot, but things all fall into place as long as your full of Love that’s the only thing that matters!! Just keep getting up!!
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Absolutely, I agree! Thank you ☺
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Loved this post! So awesome how much we learn from watching our children!
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So true Branson… They teach us so much if we pay attention. Thank you!
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Thanks for sharing. My youngest never stops reminding me what a force of nature little boys are.
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Haha, they surely are that! A beautiful force of nature! Thanks for reading!
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Uplifting post! I feel like I’ve been stumbling and falling for a few years, too, but I know I’ll get back up and try again. 🙂
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That’s all that matters. Thanks for stopping by! ☺
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