Time for Prosery in the Pub ~~ Melissa introduces us to poet, Tina Chang and offers this line from Ms. Chang's poem "Love" to be included in our prosery ~~ 'I am haunted by how much our mothers do not know.'
In quiet moments of reflection, I find myself tracing
the lineage of women who shaped my life. My
mother, her mother, and countless mothers before
them, each carrying the weight of their own doubts
and fears, secrets they kept, sacrifices they made
hidden beneath veils of resilience and strength.
They nurtured us with love and care, yet they were
human, prone to mistakes and missteps.
I wonder if they questioned their mothering skills.
Did they lie awake at night, haunted with the same
uncertainties that kept me company through the
years? As I look back, I cannot believe how little I
knew at age nineteen. Generations later, I am
haunted by how much our mothers do not know,
yet I see their humanity more clearly. And in doing
so, I embrace the journey of forgiveness, for my
own imperfections, as they will likewise do.
Mother's since the start of time have laid awake worrying about their children and the state of the world, just the way we are wired.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful truths about woman- and motherhood, Helen. I had my first child at 28, and I was, and still can be, haunted by the infinite uncertainties.❤️
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully written, Helen. I would wonder about any mother who had never questioned her abilities or worried about her children. Generation of mothers--we all have something in common.
ReplyDeleteI love your reflections on mothering in this story. Very well done. Parenting is the only place where we are given life and death responsibility with little or no preparation on how to deal with it.
ReplyDeleteI love where the prompt line took you, Helen, to something that many of us do, ‘tracing the lineage of women’ who shaped our lives, even more so than the men. I think we all question our mothering skills, it comes with the job. Your Prosery resonates loudly.
ReplyDeleteLove the reflections, and also the fact that each generation has to learn for themselves the same lessons over and over.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautifully written, Helen. Anyone who is a mother has questioned herself at one point or another (or many).
ReplyDeleteEmbracing the journey is a beautiful concept, and the prize is a lot of good feelings, and sadness for what could have been, if they knew....
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