Musings on Motherhood

When you were a little girl, do you remember dreaming of yourself as a mom? What your kids would look like, be like - what their names would be? 

This morning we called to wish my mother-in-law a Happy Mother’s Day.  She commented on the blog, and how, at 81, she can truly say she’s been able to realize her dreams in this life. One of those dreams, she said, was to have a daughter. Even at five years old, she had a name picked out - Peggy Ann - after "my beautiful mother Margaret".

My little girl was going to be Jennifer. Such a pretty name! I was in my early teens, and didn’t even question my fate as a mother. And if I had boys? Well, they’d be Joshua, Jordan, Kevin, or Keith. (Yes, J's & K's).

My mother-in-law did have a daughter, though not a Peggy Ann. Charlie wanted the baby named after her, his lovely wife. And so Ann Virginia she became - Ginny for short. Three boys later, and no Peggy Ann. Still, she couldn’t have been happier - simply to be Mom.

My destiny was different than I’d imagined back then. Having children wasn’t meant to be, though truth be told, I’ve always been perfectly happy with that. Don’t get me wrong - I love children. But as a young auntie watching her older siblings go through the everyday challenges of life with kids, I could see both its joys and its trials pretty clearly. I ended up having the best of both worlds. 
I got to play with and adore all kids around me - getting their best, and then going away. Selfish? Maybe a little. Still, I wonder if my not having kids had made me a better aunt, teacher, and school principal. I could pour my heart and hugs into them, and I did.  But at the end of the day, I'd put that key in the door and breathe freely, and yes, I guess, a bit self-centeredly.

I absolutely believe that there’s purpose and reason to everything - no matter what paths we choose, or choose us. Would I have been a good mother? I think so - my own mother was a wonderful role model. My sisters are great moms. But since I wasn’t, I’ve been fortunate to pursue my personal dreams, which have taken me down some pretty amazing roads. That was just simply me. 

That said, this is my message to successful mothers everywhere:  I lift my glass to you. You're brave, loving and selfless. Your children are our future ~ our hope. May their paths be as true as yours, whatever they may be. Happy Mother's Day!


I ask again, did you dream of being a mother when you were a child? Did the life you foresaw then come to pass? Tell us about it!