Poetry, motherhood and beyond.
When I am able-bodied and strong, it is easy to create the illusion that I and those I love could exist in a vacuum. Nothing could be further from the truth. As humans, we are little jigsaw pieces of a hugely complex society, each performing a task so that the next person won't have to.... Continue Reading →
I once had a friend, but she is no more. Her presence left imprints in me and bettered my life at the time. As a child, she could organise her stuffed animals into elaborate social structures and families and play with me for hours. As a teenager, she explored black mascara and lipstick with me... Continue Reading →
On my most forgetful days, I catch myself staring at my children wondering how they could possibly come out of nothing. Pregnancy nausea, heavy belly loads, overdue due dates, marathon births and post-partum recovery are parked at the very lowest level of my consciousness as I marvel at the miracle of life. Sharing a particularly... Continue Reading →
Once upon a work day, a friend, fellow mother and esteemed colleague much wiser than me made a statement during lunch that has stayed with me: All over our world, women having children is seen as a problem. Now, my yang side can find some truth in this statement. It is a disruption to office... Continue Reading →
Each pregnancy has left an imprint in my body. I am not just referring to the outer signs, or the transformation that took part as I grew and expanded alongside my belly; I've recently learned that my children's cells actually influence my own DNA. This makes complete sense to me on a psychological level. Each... Continue Reading →
It's easy to love a baby. There are as many tales of first-rush-love as there are mothers in this world, but once love has made an entrance, it settles in our hearts and stays. When I first held my daughter in my arms, I was confused, tired, in pain, astounded that both of us had... Continue Reading →
I put my youngest daughter to bed just now and as I felt her firm grip on my hair relax and her breathing grow heavier, a thought crept up on me. By mothering her, I am preparing her for life without my presence. She is my replacement. If our lives follow the natural order of... Continue Reading →
Since becoming a mother, I am a person divided. Most days, I shape shift between two different roles: My mother-self and my professional-self. Even though I live in a society reasonably tolerant and encouraging of family life, I struggle to let these two persons co-exist. In essence, my mother-self is my female self, and it... Continue Reading →
Thanks for joining me! Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
On Mama's Mind 