Motherhood

This Norman Rockwell scene hangs on a wall in our home. I bought it many years ago when motherhood first came my way. Sigh. It seemed to sum up what mothering is all about---the care and nurture of sweet, innocent children.

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Bear with me as I wax sentimental or something like it. (If only waxing the kitchen floor held interest for me....)

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What effect do years of mothering have on the mother, however? That's what I'm stuck contemplating these days. Hm-m. Motherhood sweeps in like a runaway river and takes over, propelling the mother along upon a rushing rapids of busyness and noisy, happy hubbub. Once the children are grown and caring for themselves, the motherhood river undergoes a drastic personality change, winding down to become a peacefully meandering stream. Sounds nice maybe, but in reality, the dramatic change of pace can be a challenge to deal with, at least for a mother who never had her own career, and perhaps for every mother.

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So now I find myself caught in that tranquil stream, creek, or "crick" as we call small waterways here in this area. Never did I care much for spending time on or in a "crick". Too many gnats and mosquitoes there, plus the environs can be just plain boring. Peace and quiet just ain't all its cracked up to be.

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One should be careful what one wishes for, of course, but return unto me, oh, noise and hubbub !