Eternally yours
Mothers don’t always have children. Those who do are pretty busy looking for the manual that tells you what to do in every situation. Eventually it becomes obvious that it might be better to give up and do what you think is best. Those bundles of joy (who thought that phrase up?) require attention every damn day. They do grow up and away in most cases. If you are a multiple-Mother, you know that it is important to create a different answer to the same situation that occurs with each child. It is complicated to rear good humans. There are mothers who walk into some situations, pause and turn back around and leave. They need time to figure out the best response to what they are witnessing. And the wisest answer might be to do nothing and just listen and observe. That really goes against the grain. Mothering is a verb without a definitive definition. It encompasses the whole world for others. But it is also the word that resides inside of the mind and heart of those who care for people. If you asked a person who mothers others to provide a litany of what they do for a living, the list would go on pretty far. Those who mother are said to have an inner world of treasures in memories. That is in lieu of pay. That is why it is vital for those who mother to take time for themselves. That is self-mothering. A devotional skill for everyone. Everyone damn mother. You were built for this.
You are Extraordinary!
Week 9: Nests are never really empty
I really prefer the word caregiver to caretaker. One does sound like it involves a corpse. And the giving idea implies a freedom. Choosing to do something or even nothing. That is the essence of mothering. Fast walking is a great form of exercise to stay in mental and physical shape. Movement ahead leaves less time for checking the rear-view mirror. Fewer mistakes imply better output. This week take time for a personal unannounced Mother’s Day. Do something that does not seem like you. Try out an unusual food, say something you have been holding back, stare into the abyss or question thoughts that you believed were above reproach. No one gets to judge your mothering and get away with it. Because no one really knows what it takes to be the best mother. Revel in your own exceptional performance.
