“There was something so valuable about what happened when one became a mother. For me it was the most liberating thing that ever happened to me. . . . Liberating because the demands that children make are not the demands of a normal ‘other.’ The children’s demands on me were things that nobody ever asked me to do. To be a good manager. To have a sense of humor. To deliver something that somebody could use. And they were not interested in all the things that other people were interested in, like what I was wearing or if I were sensual. . . . Somehow all of the baggage that I had accumulated as a person about what was valuable just fell away. I could not only be me -– whatever that was -– but somebody actually needed me to be that. . . . If you listen to [your children], somehow you are able to free yourself from baggage and vanity and all sorts of things, and deliver a better self, one that you like. The person that was in me that I liked best was the one my children seemed to want.”
Toni Morrison.
I have a new blog crush and it sounds like this.
Start with the ‘about’ …especially if you think the F word is not for you. I’d love to know what you think.
5 Comments
Oh these words…so true, all so very true!
And thanks for introducing me to this blog, Bron, it will be so interesting to follow it. I really appreciate people that can share their experiences as mothers in their own way, without feeling the need to comply to any stereotype. Before, i couldn’t even read blogs about motherhood because I was afraid to fall into a cliche, but now I understand how enriching can be reading about other mothers’ experiences.
you are so very welcome.
Yes. The Blue Milk website, for a lack of better words, rocks. Just added it to my blogger/google reader. Looking forward to actually spending some time with it. I stumbled onto your blog via “I don’t know how because it is still early here” but I am adding it to my google reader as well. Thanks for sharing.
so happy to have you here rebecca