I just read this great essay by Anna Quindlen, simply titled "Anna Quindlen on Motherhood." I had tears in my eyes by the time I got to the end of it. She shares her insights as a mom of grown children, but how wonderful for me to read it while my baby is just 2 months old! What a great reminder that this journey goes fast...too fast to get caught up in complaining about being tired or getting frustrated with more crying or get distracted by the chores that need to be done and miss out on valuable time with my son.
And I love her comments about trusting herself more than research. We have a built-in mom know-how that just takes over like I never imagined. I still read those darn books, but it's nice to read about another mom who, at the end of the day, trusted her gut.
What a great perspective, thinking about how her children are her favorite people in the world. I can get a little sad thinking about Will growing up and not needing me in the same ways anymore, but Anna has a great way of looking at it: With every stage, things just get better and better!
I love her phrase about her children "excavating [her] essential humanity"--wow, is this true. In just two months Will has magnified my selfishness like nothing else has. He has tested my patience and my joy, and forced me to do some serious soul searching. I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Also, what a great reminder of how blessed I am that I get to stay home and enjoy these moments with Will. What a huge blessing for me--and I hope it will be a blessing for him as well. I hope I remain conscious of these blessings and never take them for granted!
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