I will always recall the day, 11 years ago, when
my daughter Whitney, then a blonde-haired sprite
of 4, and I were sipping lukewarm chamomile tea
out of chipped pink plastic tea cups on our sunny
deck. "I picked you to be my Mom,"
Whitney casually mentioned. "Yup, I
was an angel in heaven checking out all the moms
and I said, ‘She's the one for me.’"
I was so relieved!
If she picked me to be her Mom then I didn't have
to be the all-knowing perfect parent. We were
in this dance together, each with our own distinctive
identities, joined now as mother and daughter.
I dropped a big load of control, laughed at my
humanness, and began again – knowing that
Whitney, spirit, and I were on the same team.
Mothering
is the ultimate journey of transformation and
discovery. During these next months you
have the opportunity to prepare your mind, body,
and spirit for this new life that has called you
to motherhood.
Once
the rhythm of caring for a child begins, the masks
must drop - your presumed role description, old
programming about parenting, fears about being
inadequate - and you are forced to dissolve into
what is, the moment. What sustains you in the
midst of self-doubt and fear is simply operating
from a well of true love. Love keeps you
going as it guides and ultimately releases you,
whole, to this glorious new relationship with
your child.
It is
exhilarating to realize that it's your turn to
define this mother role. You are the grown up,
the Mommy, and may now craft a family based on
thoughtful, creative, soul-felt intentions. Pregnancy
is a wonderful opportunity to give thought to
how you will nourish your precious child's soul
and design a life lived on purpose.
Think of these months
as a time to craft your hopes, dreams, and wishes
about your mothering role. Reflecting on how you
were mothered is a great place to start. |
