One of the most important things for me as a mother is to stay in tune with the energy of being as I’m raising my son. Eckhart Tolle encourages us to remain focused on the being behind the doing.

Rather than allowing our attention to be eclipsed entirely by the actions we take in life, he points us toward recognizing the energy with which we take those actions.

This means maintaining awareness of the quality of our energy as we transition from one task to another or from one place to another in our daily lives. It’s about noticing when we are taking actions out of habit energy or from a place of peace, creativity, acceptance, or the joy of being. This has been quite challenging for me, as I’m conditioned, like most of us, to move from point A to point B with very little room for deviation in between. In my style of motherhood, I’ve been called to go from A to W to D to M and then back to B again in the completion of any simple task. Anyone with young children knows that they are not concerned with getting tasks accomplished so much as they are captivated by every step in the journey toward achieving them.

They are at once enjoying the journey and also the source of many deviations from reaching the destination directly. Whether it’s the need to play, jump, snack, nap, follow a curiosity, or any innate urge, they indulge these movements along the way. When I’m not tuned in, I’m more concerned with accomplishing a walk than I am with greeting all the yellow flowers we see as we stroll.

My son teaches me to drink in the entirety of an experience and explore the little wonders that are opportunities for enjoyment in each moment.

In other words, he’s in the flow. Sometimes he’ll say a phrase or statement, and I know it’s the ancestors speaking through him. He’s reveling in the moment, taking it all in and encouraging me to do the same. When I’m not aligned, I see these deviations as distractions or annoyances. However, when I am aligned with my well-being and higher-frequency emotions, I recognize the value of immersing myself in a moment for experience and enjoyment, rather than rushing through it to get it done.

I’m learning that flowing with my son rather than trying to force my idea of what needs to happen in a moment is more often than not the most aligned energy. I see how he and his other generation Alpha friends are building on the work of the ancestors while embracing the ways we can care for and nurture humanities forward motion.

Sometimes ancestral urges to control or steer him will arise, and if I’m able, I allow myself to recognize the urge and still leave space to see if it is warranted. Most of the time I'm steering the ship of our day with strong, energetic leadership, to ensure safety and clear direction. But I’ve also noticed that there are so many times where he is the one teaching me what a moment is about than the other way around.

It’s been very humbling to see all the ways I’m so clearly wrong about what needs to happen or what the priorities should be, and he’s gracious enough to give me the kindest look that says, “It’s ok Yaya! You’re here now.”

When I reflect on the urge to force control that rises within me, I have compassion for the ways my ancestors perceived a child leading in a moment as dangerous or a threat. As adults we are so confident in our ability to protect ourselves that we fear entrusting anyone or anything else with that responsibility. Even the energy of the expansive Universe that brought us here in the first place. I’ve observed a conscious, uplifting, wise, and vast energy moving through my son to create moments of joy, love, connection, and reassurance for me and others.

Then in another moment, he’ll push to get his way by making a mess or following a curiosity that’s clearly out of bounds.

And so we buoy, yo-yo, and dance the dance of mother to child, and pure energy to pure energy.

While that’s happening, I see how the flow is taking the lessons of embodiment through peace in the face of challenges, laughter, dance, cooking, and cleaning that my ancestors cultivated—and using the lessons from exploration, authenticity, and movement toward ease that my son and his generation are exemplifying.

Although there is so much chaos and uncertainty on our planet right now, when I’m in that flow, I can find ways to bring beauty and steadfastness along for the journey.