Timely poem

I guess this ties in with the other thread I just started! (Got it in a fwd from my aunt).



Being A Mom

> We are sitting at
> lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her
> husband are thinking of 'starting a family.'
>
> 'We're taking a survey,' she says half-joking. 'Do you think I
> should have a baby?'
>
> 'It will change your life,' I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
>
> 'I know,' she says, 'no more sleeping in on weekends, no more
> spontaneous vacations.'
> But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying
> to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never
> learn in childbirth classes.
>
> I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will
> heal, but,becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional
> wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
>
> I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper
> without asking, 'What if that had been MY child ?'
>
> That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when
> she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything
> could be worse than watching your child die.
>
> I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think
> that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will
> reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That
> an urgent call of 'Mom!'
> will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a
> moments hesitation.
>
> I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has
> invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by
> motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be
> going into an important business meeting and she will think of her
> baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline
> to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
>
> I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be
> routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room
> rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That
> right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming
> children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed
> against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that
> restroom.
>
> However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess
> herself constantly as a mother.
>
> Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that
> eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never
> feel the same about herself.
>
> That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once
> she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save
> her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to
> accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.
> I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will
> become badges of honour. My daughter's relationship with her husband
> will change, but not in the way she thinks.
>
> I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is
> careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his
> child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him
> again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
>
> I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women
> throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk
> driving.
>
> I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your
> child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly
> laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the
> first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually
> hurts.
>
> My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed
> in my eyes. 'You 'll never regret it,' I finally say. Then I
> reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a
> silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women
> who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
>
> Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends
> who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who
> is in your heart.

Re: Timely poem

I love it!

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Now I am all teary eyed. This is beautiful and so true! Thanks for sharing

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Thank you for sharing. I am now sitting here at my desk crying.

Message edited 7/16/2008 10:34:13 AM.

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I'm a hormonal mess.

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That was beautiful!!

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I'm so happy that no one else is in t he office bc I'm sitting here crying....

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Wow! I love this. Brought tears to my eyes.

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Wow I love it!!!! I just sent it to all the moms I know

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I'm crying....this is beautiful...

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Oh, that is so sweet! I just loved it!

Re: Timely poem

Posted by stephanief

Posted by mzsocialworker1


>
> I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper
> without asking, 'What if that had been MY child ?'
>
> That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when
> she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything
> could be worse than watching your child die.
>
>

this was great...from a BTDT mom, I Can attest to the things I quoted as being 100% true....you will NEVER be the same but it is the BEST journey