I was two years late with my review of Judith Warner’s book; recently, in looking for blogs that examine stay-at-home mom-ness, I found several that participated in the extreme-blogging discussion of Perfect Madness two years ago. I’ve added a few of them to my blogroll (and may add more). But I just had to quote (via Raising WEG) from Mommy Life. The author of Mommy Life is a mother of 12 (3? with Down Syndrome, some adopted). She has been a stay-at-home mom for 22 years, and a freelance writer for the past 10.
for 12 years I focused solely on my kids … Was it difficult? Yes. Did I experience frustration, self-pity, feelings of loneliness? Yes.
However, I’d begun to learn then that life wasn’t all about me. I really loved kids … and I saw them as an investment in the future. Really the most important work I’d ever do in my life.
… this is a brief season in your life. When your kids are leaving, you will hardly believe how fast it all went.
And though I couldn’t have known it then, I was being rewarded personally. As I sacrificed to give everything I could to my kids — enriching their lives with trips to museums, theater, symphony … my own life was being stretched and enriched. I continued to read and think and talk about politics and culture with my husband, friends, and — as they got older — my kids.
So even though it looked on the outside like my life was consumed by motherhood — and it was — inside there was a well of creativity being formed. When it came bubbling to the surface, I began to write. And because of the discipline of 12 years of putting others before myself, I actually had something to say.
It’s not about what we do. It’s about the spirit in which we do it.
I apologize (to Mommy Life) for the long quote. Consider me inspired.
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