A tribute to mothers...
Ok, now that I’m online, was able to chat to my sister, and am no longer annoyed I can actually write a decent post that might be interesting and funny. I actually haven’t chosen a topic yet, which I usually do before I even start typing. So, folks, what shall the topic be? Let’s see…
I’ve been wanting to write a post in honor of mothers for awhile (just so my siblings and parents know, this isn’t an effort to suck up to mom…it’s quite sincere actually). For eleven months I’ve been living in the Netherlands as an au pair. It’s one of the most interesting jobs I’ve ever held, that’s for sure. And because of this job, or cultural experience, as I’m supposed to call it, I’ve learned a lot about motherhood. I’ve learned so much that more often than not my friends hear me say, “I’m never having children.” Unfortunately, none of us believe me (I am included in that statement). Don’t get me wrong…children are wonderful. An old time Christian singer said that “children are a treasure from the Lord”, and I do believe that…just sometimes it’s nice to think about buried treasure (just kidding! Way just kidding!!!!). But seriously, this is a tribute to mothers, one of the most amazing creatures in existence. Let’s start with the beginning, the pregnancy process.
A mother is a walking incubation tank that grows as it goes. She has to eat for two people, carry on with everyday life, and still plan ahead for her incubation tank to burst. Then she bursts and has to give birth. The baby gets to come out through a hole that it’s not supposed to fit through (hence the screaming of a birthing mother). That hurts!! And then that’s finally over and you have a beautiful little baby to love and cherish…and feed, and burp, and change. I recently heard that after giving birth the mother is supposed to stay in bed for a whole week (granted, you can leave to use the bathroom and such, but eating and everything else is in bed). I don’t know if I can handle being bed ridden for a week. That’s boring. Finally, mother is up and about and things are NOT back to normal. But I don’t know very much about all of that, and I don’t believe I’ll experience that for many years still.
A mother is everything that is necessary. A mother is a doctor, fixing bloody knees and elbows…her most effective cure being a kiss and a song. A mother is a dentist, pulling pieces of apple skin out from between tiny teeth. A mother is a chef, preparing highly criticized meals with very little thanks. A mother is a maid, cleaning up after kids (and husbands, often times) just so that she can watch them pull all their junk out again. A mother is a referee, making sure all the kids play fairly with each other. A mother is a diplomat, keeping the peace in the household. A mother is a “handy-man”, fixing broken toys, papers, and pencils. A mother is a dictionary, defining all the words that a child doesn’t know. A mother is a resource, directing the student towards the right answers.
Later on, once the little ones are big, the functions of the mother change greatly. In place of a doctor she is a psychiatrist (even as she needs one herself), trying to explain those irrationalities that a teen will never understand. She is also comforter, being the listening ear when her “baby’s” heart has been broken. She is fashion advisor (except in the cases where the kid is more capable than she…but still). She is a normal advisor, suggesting that her big boy or girl follow a certain path, or just encouraging them when they fee
l at a loss. But most of all, if you are as blessed as I am, she is a best friend, always there, always loving, and never giving up on you, even when you deserve to be given up on.
That’s a mother. That was my mother, and still is.
I’ve been wanting to write a post in honor of mothers for awhile (just so my siblings and parents know, this isn’t an effort to suck up to mom…it’s quite sincere actually). For eleven months I’ve been living in the Netherlands as an au pair. It’s one of the most interesting jobs I’ve ever held, that’s for sure. And because of this job, or cultural experience, as I’m supposed to call it, I’ve learned a lot about motherhood. I’ve learned so much that more often than not my friends hear me say, “I’m never having children.” Unfortunately, none of us believe me (I am included in that statement). Don’t get me wrong…children are wonderful. An old time Christian singer said that “children are a treasure from the Lord”, and I do believe that…just sometimes it’s nice to think about buried treasure (just kidding! Way just kidding!!!!). But seriously, this is a tribute to mothers, one of the most amazing creatures in existence. Let’s start with the beginning, the pregnancy process.
A mother is a walking incubation tank that grows as it goes. She has to eat for two people, carry on with everyday life, and still plan ahead for her incubation tank to burst. Then she bursts and has to give birth. The baby gets to come out through a hole that it’s not supposed to fit through (hence the screaming of a birthing mother). That hurts!! And then that’s finally over and you have a beautiful little baby to love and cherish…and feed, and burp, and change. I recently heard that after giving birth the mother is supposed to stay in bed for a whole week (granted, you can leave to use the bathroom and such, but eating and everything else is in bed). I don’t know if I can handle being bed ridden for a week. That’s boring. Finally, mother is up and about and things are NOT back to normal. But I don’t know very much about all of that, and I don’t believe I’ll experience that for many years still.
A mother is everything that is necessary. A mother is a doctor, fixing bloody knees and elbows…her most effective cure being a kiss and a song. A mother is a dentist, pulling pieces of apple skin out from between tiny teeth. A mother is a chef, preparing highly criticized meals with very little thanks. A mother is a maid, cleaning up after kids (and husbands, often times) just so that she can watch them pull all their junk out again. A mother is a referee, making sure all the kids play fairly with each other. A mother is a diplomat, keeping the peace in the household. A mother is a “handy-man”, fixing broken toys, papers, and pencils. A mother is a dictionary, defining all the words that a child doesn’t know. A mother is a resource, directing the student towards the right answers.
Later on, once the little ones are big, the functions of the mother change greatly. In place of a doctor she is a psychiatrist (even as she needs one herself), trying to explain those irrationalities that a teen will never understand. She is also comforter, being the listening ear when her “baby’s” heart has been broken. She is fashion advisor (except in the cases where the kid is more capable than she…but still). She is a normal advisor, suggesting that her big boy or girl follow a certain path, or just encouraging them when they fee
l at a loss. But most of all, if you are as blessed as I am, she is a best friend, always there, always loving, and never giving up on you, even when you deserve to be given up on. That’s a mother. That was my mother, and still is.
posted by Sarah Riendeau @ 11/23/2005 05:20:00 PM
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