During the final days leading up to my youngest daughter moving out of her childhood home and into a college dorm there were so many trivial chores that had to be completed. One morning before we began to tackle our to-do list, we decided that we needed a Lasyone’s Meat Pie Kitchen breakfast as encouragement to make it through the day. And it did not disappoint. Leaving the restaurant filled to the brim with potato stacks, meat pies, and orange juice, we were ready to tackle the day.

As we were walking out of the restaurant, we were discussing our next stop and agreeing that we were both full as ticks. Not paying attention, I stepped off the sidewalk and for some reason unbeknownst to me, I missed a step and began to fall to the ground. It truly happened in slow motion; I saw meat pies and speeding cars flash before my eyes. I thought I was going to regain my clumsy composure, but it didn’t happen. So, I ungracefully rolled into the street as if I were leaving a Pub after having too many drinks. Even at this moment, I cannot tell if my daughter was mortified or concerned.

After she laughed and laughed for way too long, she giggled my nickname loud enough where anyone could hear. “Reebs! Are you okay?”. Reebs was facedown on Second Street. Mama was down.

With as much grace and dignity as I could muster, I peeled myself off the ground and scanned around to make sure there wasn’t an audience. Once I knew we were alone I glanced down at my favorite leggings to make sure there were no holes, I wiped the gravel off my knees, hands and elbows and proceeded as if I didn’t just roll down the street like a low paid stunt woman. I absolutely forbade my daughter to ever mention it again. Ever. I wanted this embarrassment to be tucked away in the recesses of my mind.

That was, until God had other plans.

Not long after the great fall of mama, I found myself at Bid Day at Louisiana State University. My daughter participated in Rush, so it was time for her find out which house accepted the little girl who made fun of her dear mom falling into the street. As I stood on River Road with approximately two thousand other parents in the one hundred degrees heat, I was praying the sun would move so the shade could take over. There is no heat like Louisiana in August. It was so hot you could see parents scooting towards any shade they could find. While I was appreciating the shift of the sun and the sudden cool breeze, I heard a loud thud with simultaneous gasps soon followed by the obligatory, “Oh no’s” from the crowd.

I looked around only to notice another poor mom who had suffered my same meat pie day fate. Someone’s mama was down. It even appeared as though she tucked and rolled the same way I did.

It suddenly hit me. This was time to shine. With the speed of a much younger woman who has never fallen, I rushed over to her to help. She sheepishly tried to say she was fine but her face was a shade of red that only embarrassment could provide. I recognized that face. That was my face a week earlier. I took the time to brush the gravel off her back while she collected herself and reassured her family that she was not hurt. I looked her straight in the eyes and began to console her.

I said, “Look, your clothes are not torn, I wiped off all of the dirt, you will be fine. Your dignity is still on the ground, your hair is a mess and your confidence will be shaken for a few days but you got this. Don’t let this little incident keep you down, mama!” She looked at me with grateful but surprised eyes and said, “I really appreciate you.”

As I walked away, kind of feeling like a superhero, I was reminded of the goodness of God. He took my mini-drama of falling down on Second Street and used it to console someone who suffered the very same calamity. He used me to comfort the sweet sorority mom who fell in front of hundreds of strangers. (I may have thanked God that I fell only in front of my daughter and not the masses…but nonetheless…I was grateful the other mama that went down was unscathed)

God will never let us experience a tragedy that won’t be used for his glory. Every downfall (no pun intended) we face on earth can and will be used for the heavenly purpose of helping those that God puts in our path. Our Savior has the power to turn our little messes into someone else’s testimony. Like only he can. He put us on earth to share the love of Christ and carry each other’s burdens.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2

Reba Phelps jreba.phelps@gmail.com