Motherhood right now is conversations in defense of slow (if not stalled) use of too much modern tech for growing pre pre-teens. It is the same music on repeat and warm evenings on closed streets singing, “Revolution’s happening in New York!!!” with dear friends and the booming speaker-to-go, as our very own moving band. Motherhood right now is the same cereal most days of the week to make it easy. The same cereal mornings are almost-always accompanied by animated conversations that I wonder how made possible at 7:30 AM.
Motherhood right now is the simple pleasures of learning to text and facetime older unsuspecting family members and listening on in the next room while that same animation continues. Motherhood right is several loads of hanging laundry and evenings folding said laundry to my old new friends found in Girlfriends, where I laugh so hard I almost pee. It is mornings of making the bed and evenings of unmaking.
Motherhood right now is knowing that partnership and family has taken on a whole new form in this particular year. And as others say, buckle up again, I say, “Well their world won’t change much. Same people. Same year. Same routines. Same excitement. Same care.” Motherhood right now, is the extension of that mothering, that already dictated care. Moving. Moving. Every day and moment. Beyond me and us. It is everyone we don’t know that I need to mother. And those we do know. Knowing that in the abscence of goverment help, they too need to mother. A mothering not assigned to identies, but rather in capabilites, to keep eachother close in heart in all that we do.
Motherhood right now is finding that I am way too tired by 9 PM and way too busy by 9 AM, and thinking how thankful I am (even with its difficulties) to have children right now to keep me mentally and physically running, if not always stable.
Motherhood right now is listening and dealing, with the mother I thought I would be and wish to be. And acknowledging at once, who this particular virus has made me be. Motherhood right now is reaching out, if not forward, as a reminder that this too is true for so many.
Motherhood right now is saying again and again to those two and everyone else who I encounter these days, “This is what community looks like.” It is difficult, wonderful and at times can feel contradictory and impossible. It is resilient in it’s formidable care, and gentle on-time reminders, that right now is just right now.
How is it in your neck of the woods?
This hit home, thanks for sharing. Motherhood is becoming and becoming, pivoting and pivoting again. Much love to you❤️
For me Motherhood is thanking God I no longer have to live by a 7AM alarm because my daughter is completely weaned off of her seizure medication. However there is a 7PM set for another medication but that one is a lot more peaceful as it adds in to the evening routine easy. It is sharing in the moment of independence as I hace my routine and she has hers and we meet through out the day and discuss it.
It is my twelve-year-old starting menstruation and she reminds me of my hysterectomy. It is listening to endless stories of her heart thumping everytime she sees “Justin.” That name is a song with a sweet hymn and gratefulness of watching a young lady express herself. It is her talking on her cell phone during her homeschool lessons and daily zoom calls with her friend Victoria.
It is looping Bob Marley, Macy Gray, and Unchained Melody on Alexa with my new cinnamon candles from Amazon burning because it is Fall. It is healing from divorce and allowing myself to keep loving a new spirit that is a direct reflection of me. Gospel and praise is a lifestyle and I started back Women’s Bible Study. Motherhood is so beautiful and intimate right now. As I watch the community children play together until night fall. Ice cream, muffin mix, and brown sugar have been added to the grocery list. Lots of comfort food recipes and dim rooms.
❤️