The Stitching Together of Motherhood
We are all stitched together and often if we look closely, we can see how connected we all are.
I started a doctoral program 15 months ago. One assignment I had to complete was to take three items from my house and summarize them and then synthesize them, this was one of the odder and non-traditional assignments, but it was an enjoyable break from looking up peer-reviewed journal articles. Summarizations and synthesis are part of creating an excellent dissertation — the end result of my doctoral program.
I was amazed as I pulled the three random items and thought about each one how each of these brought me to think about something special in my home. Each related to an adventure we had been on, or touching moment, or a person and how it all linked back to relationships. Relationships with my daughters, with my husband and with family.
Relationships, the stitching together is what makes life the most worthy.
There are no carefree days in being a mom, there are great rewards, the hugs, and kisses from little hands and faces, but easy does not adequately describe this role of my life. But worthy and craved. Each Mother’s Day I remember those years when I cried uncontrollably wondering if I would have a precious baby to hold when the quest to be a mom seemed to be out of my reach. I am now thankful for those tears, as the two precious children I have now were worth each one I cried.
I hope that each item in my home stitches together memories of our time together. That when my daughters are grown and think back, they are proud of the adventures we went on, and the memories made. But most of all, I hope they remember the relationships with one another, a bond of sisterhood they hopefully will always have and a bond with others, friends, family, neighbors and maybe even strangers by planting seeds of kindness.
I think of the struggles that my husband and I went through to have a family and how our life has changed with my daughters. I can now attribute each item in my house to them. Contrasting the items for the homework assignment, I find each of these still plays on my emotions, as the beloved task of being a mom is trying at times and often makes me wonder if I am doing this job right, I know that other moms think this, too.
But we are all in this worthy role of motherhood together.
