After I kissed my daughter goodnight, I sat on the couch to think.

I reflected upon the things I wish I could undo.
The opportunities I had to be more patient.
The times I rushed to judgment instead of rushing to understand.

The ways I could have been a better mom.

As my thoughts continued to wander, the guilt engulfed me.
I felt as though I was in a fog, unable to see.
As the waves of regret washed over me, I closed my eyes.
I took a deep breath and searched deep within my heart.

I heard my daughter’s belly laugh when I told her a joke.
I recalled how she snuggled closer to me as I read her a bedtime story.
I felt her hand finding its way into mine as we walked together.
I imagined her squeal of delight as we played a game.
I saw the look on her face when I kissed her forehead.

And as quickly as it came, the fog cleared.
I was finally able to see what was right in front of me.

I will never do everything correctly, and that’s okay.

My daughter doesn’t need a perfect mom.
My daughter needs me.

This was previously written on the author's Facebook page. Randi is the writer of Surviving Mom Blog. You can find her on Facebook here and on Instagram here.