The Joys of Motherhood
A friend recently said to me “I read your blog sometimes and I was on the fence before about having kids, your posts scare me” I laughed of course because I can appreciate someone who reads my blog being absolutely terrified of what I talk about. Most of the time when I re-read it I’m terrified too and then I remember that its my life.
The thing about being a mom is its like trying to describe Boston to someone whose never been.
“Boston’s awesome! it’s right on the water, it has this incredible history, the cobble stone walkways, Fenway, restaurants, nightlife, its an incredible experience.”
So if I’ve only ever been to the ocean in FL I think if a FL beach w/ a city right next to it with walkways that don’t sound easy to do in heels (they aren’t) and I see an image of Fenway from watching Moneyball, restaurants and nightlife that’s I’ve been too, but in a cold climate. How do you think I did?
Now imagine that its like that all the time. Describing motherhood, having children the whole 9 yards is really only done with humor because most of the time we (parents) are a drink away from cashing out our retirements and disappearing :). I’m kidding friend of mine, just kidding.
Having children ruins your life and then it builds you a new and more important life. Before my children, I was a relatievely selfish person. Before my children I was clean, I was bored, I was exciting, I was fill in the blank. I still am all those things but now I am also responsible for another person. Two other people in fact, I’m responsible to teach them right and wrong, to show them how to be kind to the world. How to pee on the potty. How to not hit and how to not scream at me from another room because they would like some juice. Not everything I teach them is world changing, most of my day to day teachings are based on how much what they are doing makes me want to kill them.
There is love though, love like you have never experienced. You think you know what love is, you think you are prepared because you’ve been in love. This isn’t like being in love, this is watching your soul walk around on its own two legs. It is unimaginable the love for the two humans I made. My world would crumble and I with it without them.
I guess my point is that being a parent can’t really be described. Being a parent is like being a woman or a man, you either are or you aren’t.
If I describe Boston to you and you decide to move to Boston, you can never leave Boston. Once you are here you stay here with the rest of us. We’ll teach you the secret handshake, stay up with you until 2 am and schedule a playdate at 8 am on a Saturday cause you’ve been up since 5 am anyway.
