Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Mothering

Last week while visiting the Oregon coast my daughter and I came upon a mother and her five blonde sons as we clambered over the rocks. The Dad was tossing stones into the sea and the older boys would sometimes run over to join him, but mostly they all clustered around the mother like cygnets around a swan. It was a beautiful sight. We talked a little and she told me that the oldest was seven. I was kind of in awe of their bringing five children into the world, and there they all were contentedly taking a walk on the beach on a Sunday. I know for me I have to work on my music in order to feel balanced, and it has been a challenge - albeit the most wonderfully rewarding one - to do that since my daughter was born, but I am in awe of women who can give themselves wholly to mothering. I was the youngest of five and I don't know how my mother did it.