Luxuries as a mother once meant hot meals,

warm coffee, uninterrupted thoughts,

and finishing a task in one go.

Sometimes it meant watching an entire episode without pausing it five times.

Leaving the house without carrying half my home in totes.

Sitting in silence for just a little while.

But motherhood has a funny way of changing what luxury means.

Now, my luxuries look different.

They sound like tiny footsteps running toward me.

Like endless little “mama” calls throughout the day.

Like laughter filling the room over the silliest games.

It’s the pure happiness on her face when her favorite rhyme starts playing.

The way she lights up because we sat down and played just like a toddler would.

It’s bedtime cuddles and sleepy little whispers of,

“Mama… are you there?”

It is park walks and swings in the air.

Tiny books before bedtime and shared snacks in between.

That one extra bite your toddler proudly takes, as if it deserves applause.

And somehow, even the smallest things feel magical now.

Seeing her walk around in the tiny clothes I once folded with excitement.

The way she somehow makes me smile on the hardest days.

The way toddlers fill exhausting days with softness, warmth, and love without even trying.

Motherhood may have taken away quiet mornings and uninterrupted coffee,

but it gave me a love so loud, so pure, and so unforgettable.

The things I once called luxuries gave me rest.

The things I call luxuries now give me love.

-Arwa

HerAtlas