"Before I was a mom . . I was a Mother of Many...
Before I was a mom...
Before I was a mom was a long life ago...a life of
HOPE DEFERRED
Month after month I was deferred to hope for the next cycle...
Year after year longing...
Imagining a child in my arms.
Dreaming of toys I could make
Quilts I could sew...
Things I would teach...tenderness I would share.
Hope Deferred makes the heart sick...
After a blur of months turned years a decade had passed.
Proficiency at every endeavor became my child.
Keeping my life full and never giving up or giving in...
Before I was a Mom I was a child in a safe haven adored by my man.
Life was about those goals based in becoming the best of who I could become and supporting my husband in the same.
Year after year after year.... drawn out 16 years gave way to
a hope so long deferred that all time had stopped.
Dream like a rainbow in the sky that had become overpowered with a lack of humidity diminished. All I could do was not to let bitterness or hardness inter.
Him do I see...it was long a wait.
Never holding or having the privilege that all around me parents were squandering and abusing.
Before I was a Mom...
I was
The Mother of Many.
Children from all around found way to my yard as I gardened and tended the earth. They would come and find a place to rest. To chatter and look into the eyes of a tender another.
Before I was a mom I was the 8th of siblings who had but become strangers to me of my own necessity.
An Aunt and then a great Aunt many times over.
Most strangers even now.
Their lives I missed out on to gain recovery of my own.
Before I was a Mom in our first home the two children from next door who are now grown women would come and rest at my house the sweet child the younger girl I even named my daughter after. She really was my favorite and drove her momma nuts so she could come and color at my table and let her big sister have a lone time at home.
Before I was a mom a held a Navajo boy in a Sunday school class who refused to look into my eye...only to learn later that it was his cultures greatest show of respect toward me.
Before I was a Mom I was a
Mother of Many...
Two doors down a sweet child named Heather came to find a safe haven as her mother (a neighbor) lay helpless intoxicated in her shower stall after her own mothers death. This child who came and never ceased to chatter had kittens in her upturned t shirt. She sang to me and showed me her talent...no one else was able to take time for her. This child was driven off of a cliff and I mourned her death and the loss of her sweet life.
Before I was a Mom
I was the mother of many.
As a Mother of Many being a Mom of my own two is a great honor and a responsibility. It is in this my role to balance those hats. Those children who circle my own have my compassion. Those children who circle my own have often soaked as would a dry sponge all that they thirst for that I might have at the ready.
In field trips and art presentations all for no pay of dollar I stand rich at the ready.
It is strange to support so many friends of my children...
But before I was a mom ...I was who I still am only now...busy busy busy...
Before I was a mom I watched with great desire to gain understanding and to hope to learn how to equip the children (others) and my own... with all they have need of to be dependent first, independent then that they would be able one day to gain interdependence throughout all their lives.
I am a Mother
16 year hope deferred taught me to not squander...
at 20 year hope showed me healing and a step into surrender...
Yet Still It is that I am a Mother of Many
A woman of a barren womb.
Becomes one of a open full heart availability to all children.
I am as my sweet sister calls me
the pied piper of children (not the bad guy piper but the one who is beloved)
Children are drawn to me like a magical magnetic field...
It is my balm for those many years wanting.
It gave me an infinity to care more about them than many others.
Before I was a mom I was available
now as the new school year starts...
it is still that the children are the priory...
that is the service work of my lifetime.
What is so totally awesome a wonder is the joy of the role I call
Being ...
My own Childrens' Mother.
Even still
I am
The Mother of Many
Before I was a mom was a long life ago...a life of
HOPE DEFERRED
Month after month I was deferred to hope for the next cycle...
Year after year longing...
Imagining a child in my arms.
Dreaming of toys I could make
Quilts I could sew...
Things I would teach...tenderness I would share.
Hope Deferred makes the heart sick...
After a blur of months turned years a decade had passed.
Proficiency at every endeavor became my child.
Keeping my life full and never giving up or giving in...
Before I was a Mom I was a child in a safe haven adored by my man.
Life was about those goals based in becoming the best of who I could become and supporting my husband in the same.
Year after year after year.... drawn out 16 years gave way to
a hope so long deferred that all time had stopped.
Dream like a rainbow in the sky that had become overpowered with a lack of humidity diminished. All I could do was not to let bitterness or hardness inter.
Him do I see...it was long a wait.
Never holding or having the privilege that all around me parents were squandering and abusing.
Before I was a Mom...
I was
The Mother of Many.
Children from all around found way to my yard as I gardened and tended the earth. They would come and find a place to rest. To chatter and look into the eyes of a tender another.
Before I was a mom I was the 8th of siblings who had but become strangers to me of my own necessity.
An Aunt and then a great Aunt many times over.
Most strangers even now.
Their lives I missed out on to gain recovery of my own.
Before I was a Mom in our first home the two children from next door who are now grown women would come and rest at my house the sweet child the younger girl I even named my daughter after. She really was my favorite and drove her momma nuts so she could come and color at my table and let her big sister have a lone time at home.
Before I was a mom a held a Navajo boy in a Sunday school class who refused to look into my eye...only to learn later that it was his cultures greatest show of respect toward me.
Before I was a Mom I was a
Mother of Many...
Two doors down a sweet child named Heather came to find a safe haven as her mother (a neighbor) lay helpless intoxicated in her shower stall after her own mothers death. This child who came and never ceased to chatter had kittens in her upturned t shirt. She sang to me and showed me her talent...no one else was able to take time for her. This child was driven off of a cliff and I mourned her death and the loss of her sweet life.
Before I was a Mom
I was the mother of many.
As a Mother of Many being a Mom of my own two is a great honor and a responsibility. It is in this my role to balance those hats. Those children who circle my own have my compassion. Those children who circle my own have often soaked as would a dry sponge all that they thirst for that I might have at the ready.
In field trips and art presentations all for no pay of dollar I stand rich at the ready.
It is strange to support so many friends of my children...
But before I was a mom ...I was who I still am only now...busy busy busy...
Before I was a mom I watched with great desire to gain understanding and to hope to learn how to equip the children (others) and my own... with all they have need of to be dependent first, independent then that they would be able one day to gain interdependence throughout all their lives.
I am a Mother
16 year hope deferred taught me to not squander...
at 20 year hope showed me healing and a step into surrender...
Yet Still It is that I am a Mother of Many
A woman of a barren womb.
Becomes one of a open full heart availability to all children.
I am as my sweet sister calls me
the pied piper of children (not the bad guy piper but the one who is beloved)
Children are drawn to me like a magical magnetic field...
It is my balm for those many years wanting.
It gave me an infinity to care more about them than many others.
Before I was a mom I was available
now as the new school year starts...
it is still that the children are the priory...
that is the service work of my lifetime.
What is so totally awesome a wonder is the joy of the role I call
Being ...
My own Childrens' Mother.
Even still
I am
The Mother of Many
The theme this time around will be (drum roll please!): "Before I was a mom . . ." As always, feel free to take this in any direction that strikes you.
The submission form (not yet updated) will still be at http://www.mamablogga.com/contact/group-writing-project/
Also, just FYI, I'm going to allow entries to be submitted through next Friday, I think.
Thank you again for participating and I hope to see your entry soon!
--
Jordan McCollum
MamaBlogga: mom's search for meaning
http://www.MamaBlogga.com
3 comments:
Beautiful Donetta :)
you had me thinking about before I was a mom, and the picture wasn't so pretty, but now my picture is beautiful, like yours, cause I am a mom now. I wish I had you for a neighbor for my children to come over and garden with you, color at your table or just to sit and chat with. Our world is a better place because of moms like you!
I love you~
Hugs~
Annette
You know, I don't think it matters in the end whether or not you've birthed the children that you nurture. In my church, we often say that all women who nurture children—even ones who aren't "really" part of their family—are mothers.
Thanks for participating again!
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